Raiders’ best bet not too far away
Kingsbury’s just 33, but he’d be a popular choice at Texas Tech.
I got ya before I go on two weeks’ vacation, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:
1. If it were me, I think I’d hire Kliff Kingsbury as the new Texas Tech head football coach, whether he’s ready or not. He’s only 33, with just three years’ experience as a college offensive coordinator, but the results are impressive, and Darrell Royal was 32 when Texas hired him. Kingsbury would be a popular choice among the Red Raider fan base and is on Tech’s short list to replace Tom Tuberville. Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris also is on the list. “There’s a big difference between 44 (Morris’ age) and 33,” a high-profile Tech source said. Morris would be a safer choice, but if Kingsbury succeeds elsewhere, athletic director Kirby Hocutt is taking a risk. Tech looked at Sonny Dykes, who last week accepted the Cal job, but the source said he didn’t think Dykes would come “because he gave his word to Cal.” A huge buyout would preclude Tech from pursuing Baylor’s Art Briles, and Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables is a possibility. In a side note, Texas Tech is trying to schedule a home-and-home football series with Texas A&M, but the source said the Aggies right now are not interested because “there’d be less to gain” than a series with Texas.
2. Texas is apparently focusing on recruiting junior college quarterbacks and especially Iowa Western dual threat Jake Waters, who completed 73 percent of his passes and threw for 39 touchdowns with only three interceptions for the national champions. With the midterm enrollment of Tyrone Swoopes, Mack Brown will have five quarter-