Nm Lobos To Fire Coach & Hire Mike Leach

[Green Otaku]

he would listen only if we offered 1,000,000+ reason$

Not a bad trade off considering a coach like him would generate many more millions of reasons to hire him.

[UNT90]

Do you guys think we should at least contact him if Dodge is fired just to see what he says?

Does a bear s in the woods?

YES. He should have been privately approached already.

[UNTLifer]

No thank you to Leach.

[PlummMeanGreen]

He can wish in one hand and s in the other...

He will not get a football coaching job near the level of TTech for his next gig. I doubt NM is even willing to take the chance with him.

True, so true!

Before TTech's Top 10 run, the Tech AD Gerald Myers was having a terrifically terrible time getting Leach to sign a new contract. Word on the street from some Tech'sters I spoke to said (back in that day) that they thought Leach really wanted to leave Lubbock.

With Leach's present lawsuit versus the State of Texas, ie, versus Texas Tech, a state assisted school--I think many would agree that he would fit in the hot potato category for any public university in the Lone Star State to even think about hiring. Afer all, he was insubordinate with all the TTech powers that be and most schools at any level would see that as a tremendous giant red flag. I think Leach's future is in the NFL or where he is now--ESPN commentator.

Still, the best part of all this Leach talk to me is that more on this board are talking "well known coach" more than I can ever remember; that is, if we need to hire a new coach.

GMG!

Edited September 24, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

[Green Mean]

No thank you to Leach.

So hypothetically would you rather see Mike Leach come here or would you rather see Dodge get an extension?

[untjim1995]

Two things come to mind about this thread:

1.) Coach Fran won at New Mexico and took them to the old WAC Conference Championship, then immediately left to go to TCU, where they were coming off a 1-11 year. (Funny thing about the 1-11 year, TCU beat SMU in the last game of the year, giving them their only win and keeping SMU from going to a bowl game even though they finally had a winning season at 6-5. The 6-5 winning season attracted the attention of Craig Helwig, though, so he hired their OC by himself, thus we got DD!!) It might be a better job than UNT because of conference affiliation, but they let their best coach get away from them because TCU paid more--nothing more, nothing less.

2.) Leach ain't the best interview. It has been said that many higher profile schools were very interested in his services (UCLA, Washington, Miami, etc.) while he was at Tech and it was fairly well-known that he wanted out of Lubbock. But after his invterviews at each place, he never got another sniff at their openings. His ego is large. Would he be a great hire here? Most likely, he would be awesome. But his ego wants a big-time job, his wallet will demand pay that will be close to what he had at Tech, and he wants nothing to do with glad-handing with alumni or the fans. That last part is what the Tech administrators hated most about him, was his lack of interest in doing anything PR wise for the program. Leach is a weird dude, but he is also a winner. His offense will put butts in seats, and I have always believed that a MWC-type school will get him one day. UNM would be a perfect fit for everything that he wants and what their program needs.

[UNTLifer]

So hypothetically would you rather see Mike Leach come here or would you rather see Dodge get an extension?

Hypothetically, neither. I am a fan of Dodge, and thought this would be the year we had the pieces in place to succeed. I'm not a fan of Leach or of how he runs his program. I am friends with someone who's stepson plays for Tech, and he had nothing good to say about Leach. I think he is a poor representative of himself and of the university.

I think Dodge deserves every opportunity to reach 6 or 7 wins this year, but with the current injuries, I just don't see him getting there this year.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

There's not a snowball's chance in hell Leach is going to New Mexico. Several BCS schools will have head coaching vacancies at season's end. Most likely suspects are Wazzu, UCLA, Arizona State, Miami, and Colorado. Each would make a good fit for Leach.

If New Mexico cuts ties with Locksley midstream, they've got...Darrell Dickey to finish off the season!

[Green Lantern]

If New Mexico cuts ties with Locksley midstream, they've got...Darrell Dickey to finish off the season!

The could do a heck of a lot worse than DD. I'd actually be interested to see how he'd do in an interim role there.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

The could do a heck of a lot worse than DD. I'd actually be interested to see how he'd do in an interim role there.

Well, check out their offense now, since he is co-coordinator, and you'll get a decent picture.

[GrayEagle]

Two things come to mind about this thread:

1.) Coach Fran won at New Mexico and took them to the old WAC Conference Championship, then immediately left to go to TCU, where they were coming off a 1-11 year. (Funny thing about the 1-11 year, TCU beat SMU in the last game of the year, giving them their only win and keeping SMU from going to a bowl game even though they finally had a winning season at 6-5. The 6-5 winning season attracted the attention of Craig Helwig, though, so he hired their OC by himself, thus we got DD!!) It might be a better job than UNT because of conference affiliation, but they let their best coach get away from them because TCU paid more--nothing more, nothing less.

Pretty much agree with the second part of your statement but I have a much different opinion on how we hired DD.

Dickey had eight years experience as an OC. Four years were at Memphis, three at UTEP and one at SMU. His combined record as an Offensive Coordinator...27-61-2. He had two winning seasons, both at 6-5 and a .500 season. The rest were 3 wins, two wins, and one win, hardly conducive to being hired at an FBS school.

But, Darrell Dickey was a Kansas State quarterback under his dad. Our AD Helwig was a KSU grad and jumped on the chance to hire a fellow alumnus. I will always believe that being Jim Dickey's son was the primary reason for DD's hiring. The 6-5 record at SMU did soften the criticism of hiring Darrell Dickey.

[Green Lantern]

Well, check out their offense now, since he is co-coordinator, and you'll get a decent picture.

Pulled up their offensive stats. You're right. Not impressive so far.

That said...still think he's a decent option as an interim there if they decide to can the coach mid season.

[VideoEagle]

If New Mexico cuts ties with Locksley midstream, they've got...Darrell Dickey to finish off the season!

Anyone know what happened to the black uniforms? If Locksley gets cut mid-year, they might reappear in New Mexico!

[untjim1995]

Pretty much agree with the second part of your statement but I have a much different opinion on how we hired DD.

Dickey had eight years experience as an OC. Four years were at Memphis, three at UTEP and one at SMU. His combined record as an Offensive Coordinator...27-61-2. He had two winning seasons, both at 6-5 and a .500 season. The rest were 3 wins, two wins, and one win, hardly conducive to being hired at an FBS school.

But, Darrell Dickey was a Kansas State quarterback under his dad. Our AD Helwig was a KSU grad and jumped on the chance to hire a fellow alumnus. I will always believe that being Jim Dickey's son was the primary reason for DD's hiring. The 6-5 record at SMU did soften the criticism of hiring Darrell Dickey.

You are dead-on about the KSU connection. I believe that was the biggest reason for sure. But, if SMU had gone to a bowl game that year, I wonder if SMU might have tried to keep Dickey on staff, since he didn't really make a ton of cash when he was hired here, and they may have been euphoric about feeling relevant in college football again. I guess we'll never know.