Did Fan Uproar Lead to Texas Tech DC's Resignation?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:11 pmFirst, I know nothing about FaceBook or MySpace or any of those other websites/blogs, etc. that college age and high school age kids use these days. However, my eldest daughter tells me that on FaceBook there were over 10,000 posts demanding TT defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich's resignation/dismissal in the wake of yesterday's loss at Okie State. Now...who knows if this was the catalyst for his resignation or not but it sure is ironic.
Anyone know how to set up a FaceBook page to get Rusty Burns dismissed from the SMU offensive coordinator position?
Texas Tech defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich resigned under pressure Sunday, a day after the Red Raiders gave up four big-play touchdowns and three individual 100-yard rushers in a 49-45 loss at Oklahoma State.
Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said head coach Mike Leach moved to make the change.
“Mike told me early this morning that he was going to talk to Lyle today about this,’’ Myers said. “Mike did initiate it and felt he needed to talk to Lyle about it, and so that’s what transpired. … I think they just decided that a change needed to be made on defense.’’
Leach appointed assistant head coach Ruffin McNeill as interim defensive coordinator and will have McNeill take over the linebackers, which was Setencich’s position group. Charlie Sadler, who has coached defensive ends, was renamed defensive line coach and will take over the tackles, who had been McNeill’s.
“Sometimes change needs to be made,’’ Myers said. “There’s never a good time for a change as far as everybody is concerned. But I think they sat down and talked about it, and that was the result of it.’’
In a statement that Tech released, Leach said: “We appreciate Lyle and the work he did for our program. We wish him and his family the best.’’
He was a target of fan criticism for much of his tenure, which started in 2003 with a young defense that finished the season ranked No. 106 in the nation. The next year, they improved to 47th. This season, Tech recorded 10 sacks in the first three games, but is struggling again while giving a significant number of snaps on defense to 15 freshmen and sophomores.
In Saturday’s game at Stillwater, the Raiders gave up touchdowns on four consecutive series early in the game, just as they’d done two weeks before against Texas-El Paso. They also had a three-series sequence in the first half against Rice in which they gave up two touchdowns and a field goal.
Myers said he was unsure how to gauge fans’ approval rating of Setencich.
“If you get a half a dozen e-mails or phone calls, is that a lot?,’’ Myers said. “I don’t know. It wasn’t like I got hundreds or dozens or anything like that. I got some. Most fans are not going to call you or write you. Some are, so I don’t know how you gauge that. There was some. That’s not what caused this to happen. I think they (Leach and Setencich) just evaluated it and thought a change needed to be made.’’
http://www.redraiders.com/updates/postg ... ate2.shtml
Anyone know how to set up a FaceBook page to get Rusty Burns dismissed from the SMU offensive coordinator position?
Texas Tech defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich resigned under pressure Sunday, a day after the Red Raiders gave up four big-play touchdowns and three individual 100-yard rushers in a 49-45 loss at Oklahoma State.
Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said head coach Mike Leach moved to make the change.
“Mike told me early this morning that he was going to talk to Lyle today about this,’’ Myers said. “Mike did initiate it and felt he needed to talk to Lyle about it, and so that’s what transpired. … I think they just decided that a change needed to be made on defense.’’
Leach appointed assistant head coach Ruffin McNeill as interim defensive coordinator and will have McNeill take over the linebackers, which was Setencich’s position group. Charlie Sadler, who has coached defensive ends, was renamed defensive line coach and will take over the tackles, who had been McNeill’s.
“Sometimes change needs to be made,’’ Myers said. “There’s never a good time for a change as far as everybody is concerned. But I think they sat down and talked about it, and that was the result of it.’’
In a statement that Tech released, Leach said: “We appreciate Lyle and the work he did for our program. We wish him and his family the best.’’
He was a target of fan criticism for much of his tenure, which started in 2003 with a young defense that finished the season ranked No. 106 in the nation. The next year, they improved to 47th. This season, Tech recorded 10 sacks in the first three games, but is struggling again while giving a significant number of snaps on defense to 15 freshmen and sophomores.
In Saturday’s game at Stillwater, the Raiders gave up touchdowns on four consecutive series early in the game, just as they’d done two weeks before against Texas-El Paso. They also had a three-series sequence in the first half against Rice in which they gave up two touchdowns and a field goal.
Myers said he was unsure how to gauge fans’ approval rating of Setencich.
“If you get a half a dozen e-mails or phone calls, is that a lot?,’’ Myers said. “I don’t know. It wasn’t like I got hundreds or dozens or anything like that. I got some. Most fans are not going to call you or write you. Some are, so I don’t know how you gauge that. There was some. That’s not what caused this to happen. I think they (Leach and Setencich) just evaluated it and thought a change needed to be made.’’
http://www.redraiders.com/updates/postg ... ate2.shtml
When one has made stops at Iowa State, Purdue, LSU, TCU, MacArthur High School, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Kansas State and SMU I doubt that "logical" figures into a decision (coaching-wise).