Baylor head coach Art Briles will have to tell Texas Tech no during this coaching search. The wheels are already in motion on that front. Texas Tech is wasting no time.
UPDATE, 1:00 p.m.: From what Level has learned, Art Briles' new contract extension at Baylor did not increase his buyout. Look for Tech's defensive staff, Art Kaufman et al, to go to Cincinnati with Tuberville. The offensive staff is in limbo while they want on Neal Brown.
UPDATE, 1:35 p.m.: Most people within the football program were completely blindsided by the Tuberville news. From what Level has heard, the team was told at an 11 a.m. meeting.
UPDATE, 1:58 p.m.: Texas Tech will hold a press conference at 4:30 p.m. today.
UPDATE, 2:46 p.m.: Several Texas Tech donors are lining up to help pay Art Briles' buyout at Baylor if -- and it's all pointing this way -- that's the route the university decides to go. Briles is going to have to tell Texas Tech no.
UPDATE, 6:04 p.m.: Several notes here...
* The thought at this point is that Art Kaufman or Chris Thomsen will be named Texas Tech's interim head coach for its bowl game against Minnesota. At this point, things are pointing to Kaufman.
* Kirby Hocutt said today in his press conference that he received a commitment from the team's defensive staff to remain with the program through the bowl game. The expectation is that many of them will leave and join Tuberville at Cincinnati afterward.
* The Red Raiders will not return to practice until Wednesday.
* As you all know, Tech currently has recruits in town on official visits. They've got a recruiting dinner tonight, which I imagine will be a fairly awkward situation.
* I think the fact that Kirby Hocutt indicated that he wasn't going to go with a search committee is a good indication that he already has a candidate or number of candidates in mind.
* Hocutt rattled off a number of characteristics that he is looking for in the university's next head football coach, and it sure did sound a lot like he was describing Art Briles.
"In every sense of the word we want to find a leader, winner, want to find someone who knows the fabric of West Texas, someone who is committed and wants to be a part of our great community.Fit is very important to me, and I think finding the right fit for Texas Tech is critical at this point in time."
Hocutt also emphasized how important it is that the Red Raiders have a balanced offense.
"I believe it's important to have a balanced attack. I believe it's important to be able to run the ball."
* It's our understanding that Texas Tech donors have stepped up to the point where Briles' buyout would not stand in the way of the university hiring him to lead its football program.
* Tuberville and Cincinnati athletic director Whit Babcock have obviously known each other for a long time, and that relationship played a role in his departure. That being said, it wouldn't surprise us at all if Tuberville asked for some kind of assurance that UC would be headed to the Big Ten or ACC before he accepted his new position.
UPDATE, 4:59 p.m.: Don't look for Sonny Dykes or Dana Holgorsen to get involved in this search. Both are happy at their current jobs.
UPDATE, 5:54 p.m.: Texas Tech commits Jalen Rhodes and Stormy Butler are unlikely to sign with Texas Tech in February, and that would have been the case even if Tommy Tuberville had remained in Lubbock.
Rhodes was likely headed for a greyshirt because of his knee injury, and the new staff could choose to go in a different direction altogether.
Butler may only have one year of eligibility because of his age, and he has several other things that he's working through.
UPDATE, 8:02 p.m.: There's been a lot of activity today, and I still think there's a good chance that this is wrapped up very quickly.
I can confirm that this process currently revolves exclusively around three candidates, and it's not difficult to connect the dots on who those three three candidates are. That's where I'm going to stop for now, out of respect for the process and the phase that it is in.
I recognize that you all are starving for every little bit of information regarding this search, and we're trying to walk a very fine line between protecting our sources, respecting the process and providing you the best and most accurate information possible. We've seen a lot of media outlets over the last two weeks make missteps in their reporting with respect to the coaching carousel, and we are committed to not making those mistakes here.
Know this -- a contract buyout would not be an obstacle that would prevent any of these candidate from taking this job. It is not an issue.
UPDATE, 9:16 p.m.: We have confirmed with multiple sources that Kirby Hocutt will be meeting with candidates -- plural -- tomorrow. We do not know at this point where those meetings will take place
UPDATE, 12:32 p.m.: Texas Tech's focus has shifted to Kliff Kingsbury and Chad Morris. Art Briles is no longer in the running for now.
UPDATE, 7:03 p.m.: First, our report from last night -- that Hocutt would be meeting with candidates today -- turned out to be inaccurate.
The Heisman Trophy Dinner is tonight in New York City and Texas A&M offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is expected to be in attendance. Our colleague at AggieYell.com, Mack Passwater, is reporting the same. Thus, it's probably safe to say that no interview took place today between Kirby Hocutt and Kingsbury.
As far as Chad Morris is concerned, a reporter for the Seneca Journal in South Carolina received a text message from the Clemson offensive coordinator which stated that Morris has "not been offered or interviewed" with Texas Tech. We believe this to be accurate at this time.
Do we think that Hocutt met with any other candidates today? No, we do not.
We aren't sure exactly why interviews did not take place today, but it's possible that the logistics just didn't match up for either candidate. Tomorrow may be a different story.
UPDATE, 9:01 a.m.: We are receiving strong, strong indications that there is a "mystery" third candidate involved with Texas Tech's coaching search. We have not yet been able to confirm the identity of this candidate, but Hocutt could see as many as three candidates in the coming day(s).
This post was edited on 12/11 9:03 AM by C. Level
UPDATE, 1:00 p.m.: From what Level has learned, Art Briles' new contract extension at Baylor did not increase his buyout. Look for Tech's defensive staff, Art Kaufman et al, to go to Cincinnati with Tuberville. The offensive staff is in limbo while they want on Neal Brown.
UPDATE, 1:35 p.m.: Most people within the football program were completely blindsided by the Tuberville news. From what Level has heard, the team was told at an 11 a.m. meeting.
UPDATE, 1:58 p.m.: Texas Tech will hold a press conference at 4:30 p.m. today.
UPDATE, 2:46 p.m.: Several Texas Tech donors are lining up to help pay Art Briles' buyout at Baylor if -- and it's all pointing this way -- that's the route the university decides to go. Briles is going to have to tell Texas Tech no.
UPDATE, 6:04 p.m.: Several notes here...
* The thought at this point is that Art Kaufman or Chris Thomsen will be named Texas Tech's interim head coach for its bowl game against Minnesota. At this point, things are pointing to Kaufman.
* Kirby Hocutt said today in his press conference that he received a commitment from the team's defensive staff to remain with the program through the bowl game. The expectation is that many of them will leave and join Tuberville at Cincinnati afterward.
* The Red Raiders will not return to practice until Wednesday.
* As you all know, Tech currently has recruits in town on official visits. They've got a recruiting dinner tonight, which I imagine will be a fairly awkward situation.
* I think the fact that Kirby Hocutt indicated that he wasn't going to go with a search committee is a good indication that he already has a candidate or number of candidates in mind.
* Hocutt rattled off a number of characteristics that he is looking for in the university's next head football coach, and it sure did sound a lot like he was describing Art Briles.
"In every sense of the word we want to find a leader, winner, want to find someone who knows the fabric of West Texas, someone who is committed and wants to be a part of our great community.Fit is very important to me, and I think finding the right fit for Texas Tech is critical at this point in time."
Hocutt also emphasized how important it is that the Red Raiders have a balanced offense.
"I believe it's important to have a balanced attack. I believe it's important to be able to run the ball."
* It's our understanding that Texas Tech donors have stepped up to the point where Briles' buyout would not stand in the way of the university hiring him to lead its football program.
* Tuberville and Cincinnati athletic director Whit Babcock have obviously known each other for a long time, and that relationship played a role in his departure. That being said, it wouldn't surprise us at all if Tuberville asked for some kind of assurance that UC would be headed to the Big Ten or ACC before he accepted his new position.
UPDATE, 4:59 p.m.: Don't look for Sonny Dykes or Dana Holgorsen to get involved in this search. Both are happy at their current jobs.
UPDATE, 5:54 p.m.: Texas Tech commits Jalen Rhodes and Stormy Butler are unlikely to sign with Texas Tech in February, and that would have been the case even if Tommy Tuberville had remained in Lubbock.
Rhodes was likely headed for a greyshirt because of his knee injury, and the new staff could choose to go in a different direction altogether.
Butler may only have one year of eligibility because of his age, and he has several other things that he's working through.
UPDATE, 8:02 p.m.: There's been a lot of activity today, and I still think there's a good chance that this is wrapped up very quickly.
I can confirm that this process currently revolves exclusively around three candidates, and it's not difficult to connect the dots on who those three three candidates are. That's where I'm going to stop for now, out of respect for the process and the phase that it is in.
I recognize that you all are starving for every little bit of information regarding this search, and we're trying to walk a very fine line between protecting our sources, respecting the process and providing you the best and most accurate information possible. We've seen a lot of media outlets over the last two weeks make missteps in their reporting with respect to the coaching carousel, and we are committed to not making those mistakes here.
Know this -- a contract buyout would not be an obstacle that would prevent any of these candidate from taking this job. It is not an issue.
UPDATE, 9:16 p.m.: We have confirmed with multiple sources that Kirby Hocutt will be meeting with candidates -- plural -- tomorrow. We do not know at this point where those meetings will take place
UPDATE, 12:32 p.m.: Texas Tech's focus has shifted to Kliff Kingsbury and Chad Morris. Art Briles is no longer in the running for now.
UPDATE, 7:03 p.m.: First, our report from last night -- that Hocutt would be meeting with candidates today -- turned out to be inaccurate.
The Heisman Trophy Dinner is tonight in New York City and Texas A&M offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is expected to be in attendance. Our colleague at AggieYell.com, Mack Passwater, is reporting the same. Thus, it's probably safe to say that no interview took place today between Kirby Hocutt and Kingsbury.
As far as Chad Morris is concerned, a reporter for the Seneca Journal in South Carolina received a text message from the Clemson offensive coordinator which stated that Morris has "not been offered or interviewed" with Texas Tech. We believe this to be accurate at this time.
Do we think that Hocutt met with any other candidates today? No, we do not.
We aren't sure exactly why interviews did not take place today, but it's possible that the logistics just didn't match up for either candidate. Tomorrow may be a different story.
UPDATE, 9:01 a.m.: We are receiving strong, strong indications that there is a "mystery" third candidate involved with Texas Tech's coaching search. We have not yet been able to confirm the identity of this candidate, but Hocutt could see as many as three candidates in the coming day(s).
This post was edited on 12/11 9:03 AM by C. Level
