Mike Leach up to his old tricks...

[architechguy]

espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8623286/pac-12-investigate-allegations-washington-state-cougars-coach-mike-leach

Mike Leach is having a very rocky first year in charge at Washington State. I was one of those who thought he'd be a perfect fit at Wazoo, but it appears he has not learned his lessons from the past. I've said many times that Leach was not fired for the shed incident with Adam James, he was fired for his pattern of behavior within the athletic department and the shed incident was the last straw. He's showing the same disturbing pattern of behavior in his first year at Wazoo that he was in his last year at Tech.

His biggest problem (one which he won't recognize as a problem) is his "how dare you question me" attitude. His stubborn refusal to even answer a reporter's questions are reminiscent of the player revolt he had at Tech in 2009. His motivational techniques were always unorthodox, and at times they've become downright humiliating. This incident at Wazoo with his star wide receiver may end up being much ado about nothing, but it's still indicative of a coach who has lost his perspective.

[cynicalpuppet]

Not to be rude, but Nick Saban is one of the rudest, loudest, most demeaning, and "in-your-face" type coaches you'll ever see.

Some kids can handle it....some can't.

[architechguy]

I think that's true, but there's an art to that. With Saban, it's all about the end goal, he's pushing all those buttons because he knows those are the button that his players will respond to. He may be in your face, but he's in your face and personally teaching you. I think Leach pushes those buttons simply because he has the authority to push them. I watched Leach and his teams for ten years, he was not always like that. He was always more hands off, he was never the fire breathing coach that kept the fire lit under the players asses. That was always Bennie Wylie, the S&C coach who's now at Texas. That role does not suit his skill set. His best skills are being the film junkie, game planner and play caller, he's not the organizational and management guy like a Mack Brown, he's not the recruiter (which no head coach really is primary recruiter because of NCAA rules), and he's not the motivational guy. Leach started taking on more of that in your face, tough love motivation early in the 2009 season and it immediately started off bad.

There was the Twitter revolt by his players and suspension of his best offensive lineman after the Houston loss (a loss he refused to accept responsibility for). Then he took his QB's name off his jersey and replaced it with a nickname, there was the "fat little girlfriends" comment after the A&M loss, and ultimately the shed fiasco.

He needs to get back to what he does best. Hire a coaching staff that can do the motivation and the tough love coaching that he can oversee, and he can get back to the game planning and the X's and O's that he's best at.