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Reasons Why Leach was Fired from texas tech Leach was fired because he mistreated a player.
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Introduction
On December 30, 2009, Leach was fired from texas tech amid controversy surrounding his treatment of a player with a concussion. Adam James, the son of former NFL player Craig James, accused Leach of mistreatment after he was diagnosed with a concussion.
The events that led to Leach’s firing
Mike Leach was fired from texas tech on December 30, 2009. The firing came after days of speculation and a report from ESPN that Leach had been involved in an altercation with one of his players.
Leach’s treatment of Adam James
On December 28, 2009, wide receiver Adam James was diagnosed with a concussion. He was told by doctors not to play in the Alamo Bowl on December 29 due to the risk of further injury. However, Leach sent James to practice anyway, where he was required to stand for hours in a dark room with a bag of ice on his head. When James’ father, former NFL player Craig James, complained about his son’s treatment, Leach threatened to kick him off the team. Leach was then fired from Texas Tech on December 30.
Leach’s comments about the James family
In December 2009, Leach was fired from Texas Tech amid accusations that he mistreated an injured player. The player, Adam James, is the son of former ESPN commentator Craig James. Leach has denied the accusations, and has said that he was fired because he refused to agree to a bonus being paid to Craig James.
Leach’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation
In December 2009, Leach was accused of mistreating Adam James, the son of former NFL player Craig James. James had been diagnosed with a concussion and was told by team doctors not to practice, but Leach insisted that he stand in a dark place during practice, and later confined him to an equipment shed. Leach denied the accusations, but was subsequently suspended by the university while they conducted an investigation.
During the investigation, Leach refused to cooperate with investigators, and reportedly threatened to sue the university if he was fired. On December 30, 2009, Leach was fired for “insubordination” and “breach of contract.”
The aftermath of Leach’s firing
The firing of Mike Leach from Texas Tech was one of the most controversial coaching decisions in recent memory. Leach was a highly successful coach, but was also known for his eccentricities and controversial behavior. After Leach was fired, many people came to his defense, while others believed that Texas Tech had made the right decision. Let’s take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding Leach’s firing.
The lawsuits
After Leach was fired from Texas Tech, he filed two lawsuits against the school. The first was for breach of contract, and the second was for defamation of character.
The defamation lawsuit was based on the allegation that Leach was falsely accused of mistreating a player, Adam James. Leach claimed that the accusations were made by James’ father, Craig James, in order to get Leach fired so that Craig James could get a job at ESPN.
The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, with Leach receiving $2.5 million from Texas Tech.
Leach’s coaching career
Mike Leach began his coaching career in 1979 as a graduate assistant at Iowa Wesleyan College. He then became the offensive line coach at Hedgesville High School in West Virginia from 1980 to 1981. In 1982, he became the wide receivers coach at Franklin County High School in Virginia. He held that position for two seasons before moving on to Emporia State University in 1984 where he coached wide receivers and tight ends.
In 1985, Leach joined thestaff at Valdosta State University as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He helped lead the team to a Division II national championship in 1987. After one season at Valdosta State, Leach was hired as offensive coordinator at the University of Mississippi. He only held that position for one season before being hired as the wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator at Kentucky under head coach Bill Curry in 1989.
Leach only spent one season at Kentucky before being hired by Hal Mumme to be the offensive coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan in 1990. The following year, he was again reunited with Mumme when he was hired as offensive coordinator at Valdosta State. In 1992, Leach followed Mumme again when he was hired as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Minnesota. After only one season, Mumme was fired and Leach left with him to become the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (under head coach Johnny Majors) at Tennessee Tech University where he stayed until 1996.
In 1997, Leach was hired by Washington State University under head coach Mike Price to be their new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach—a position he would hold until 2000 when he was promoted to assistant head coach in addition to his other duties. In 2001, price was fired amid controversy and replaced by Bill Doba. Leach continued on as offensive coordinator under Doba until 2005 when Doba promoted him to associate head coach in addition to his other duties.
In 2006, Washington State went 10–3 and won a share of the Pac-10 title—their first conference championship since 2002 and just their second since 1988—earning them a berth in the Rose Bowl which they lost 10–3 to Michigan. After the season ended, it was announced that Mike Leach had been awarded a five-year contract extension worth $1.6 million per year which made him one of the highest paid assistant coaches in college football
Conclusion
It is impossible to know for certain why Mike Leach was fired from Texas Tech. The most likely explanation is that he was seen as a threat to the university’s football program. He was also known for being difficult to work with and for having a controversial personal life.
