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Michigan St.-Texas Tech Preview

Dec 31, 2009 - 1:23 AM By JON PALMIERI STATS Editor

Michigan State (6-6) at Texas Tech (8-4), 9:00 p.m. EDT

Mike Leach guided Texas Tech to bowl games in each of his 10 seasons as head coach while transforming the team's offense into arguably the most electrifying in the nation.

Those accomplishments, however, are almost certain to be quickly forgotten following an ugly ending to his career there.

Just three days after learning their head coach had been fired, the Red Raiders will try to move forward under interim coach Ruffin McNeill when they face an undermanned Michigan State team in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday night.

Leach - the winningest coach in school history - was fired Wednesday after he took the school to court to try to overturn his suspension for alleged mistreatment of an injured player.

"I'm very sad to say there's only one person to blame for this and it's Mike Leach," Texas Tech chancellor Kent Hance told The Associated Press.

Jerry Turner, vice chairman of the university system's board of regents, said "other things" came to light during an investigation of Leach's treatment of receiver Adam James. The sophomore alleged the coach twice confined him to a small, dark place after the player was diagnosed with a concussion.

Turner declined to elaborate about the other issues.

Leach was suspended Monday after he refused to agree to guidelines for dealing with players set forth by his bosses in a Dec. 23 letter.

When Leach decided to fight the university in court "in defiance" of his suspension, that's why "we are where we are," Turner said.

Approached by a reporter, Leach said no comment before being asked a question. Asked how he felt Texas Tech (8-4) treated him throughout the last two weeks, Leach responded, "I think that's apparent."

Texas Tech's official statement said Leach's recent actions made it impossible for him to remain coach of the Red Raiders.

"In a defiant act of insubordination, Coach Leach continually refused to cooperate in a meaningful way to help resolve the complaint. He also refused to obey a suspension order and instead sued Texas Tech University," the statement said.

Wide receiver Tramain Swindall - third on the team with 48 receptions - said he supported the decision to fire Leach.

"I do agree and I'm supporting Adam and what he's doing because it's the right thing to do," Swindall told the AP in a telephone interview.

Swindall said he believes Leach was at times out of line in how he treated players.

"And so do most of the players," he said. "It wasn't just about Adam. It was always a negative vibe."

McNeill is in his 10th season as a member of Leach's staff with the Red Raiders and second as defensive coordinator. He said he was shocked when he learned of the firing and lobbied to be Leach's permanent replacement.

"I'm very interested in the job," he said. "I think that's a double yes, with some exclamation marks."

Leach's dismissal comes a year after he was named Big 12 coach of the year and led Texas Tech to an 11-2 record, the best season in the history of the program.

Michigan State (6-6) is also no stranger to recent controversy, as it will play this game without 11 players after they were suspended by coach Mark Dantonio for their roles in a dormitory brawl Nov. 22.

Running back Glenn Winston and defensive back Roderick Jenrette were dismissed from the team while starters Chris L. Rucker - the team's top cover corner - and receivers B.J. Cunningham and Mark Dell are among those suspended.

"My heart breaks for those guys," quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "The fact that they're not there with us for this bowl game - it will hurt. But at the same time, there are other guys who we work with who have not had as much of an opportunity to play who are now going to have that opportunity."

Excluding an easy win over Western Michigan, Michigan State's defense struggled toward the end of the season, allowing over 1,500 yards to its last three Big Ten opponents.

That could spell trouble for the Spartans when they match up against a Red Raiders team that ranked second in the nation in passing yards (4,568) and ninth in scoring (36.7) despite using three quarterbacks.

One constant for Michigan State has been the stellar play of junior linebacker Greg Jones, the Big Ten defensive player of the year who ranked third in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 141 tackles - the eighth-best single-season total in school history. He also had nine of the team's 34 sacks.

The Big Ten's top passing offense has helped Michigan State rank 44th in the nation with 29.6 points per game, but that unit figures to be seriously weakened by the absences of Cunningham and Dell, who combined for 74 receptions, 1,090 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior Blair White - the team's top receiver - faded down the stretch with 16 catches in his final four games after he had a season-best 12 in a 24-14 victory over Northwestern on Oct. 17.

Regardless of who is under center for Texas Tech, the Spartans' struggling pass defense will surely be tested. That unit ranked 103rd in the country this season and allowed 29 touchdown passes while getting five interceptions - tied for the fewest in the nation.

Strong quarterback play has never been an issue for the Red Raiders, but injuries this season to Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield forced the team to use three signal-callers.

Potts began the season in the No. 1 role and has won five of nine starts. He looked particularly strong late in the season, completing 66 of 102 passes for 657 yards with four touchdowns in the final two games - wins over Oklahoma and Baylor. Potts led the Big 12 with 306.8 passing yards per game.

Potts has a multitude of targets at his disposal as the Red Raiders had nine players with at least 20 receptions. Freshman Alexander Torres led the team with 65 catches and 791 yards, and was second with six touchdowns.

While the Red Raiders' offense garners most of the accolades, the defense exceeded expectations. Led by senior end Brandon Sharpe, who recorded a school-record 15 sacks to rank second nationally, Texas Tech allowed a respectable 348.8 yards and 21.8 points per game.

Texas Tech is 0-2 in the Alamo Bowl, losing to Iowa in 1996 and 2001. Michigan State is making its second appearance in this bowl following a loss to Nebraska in 2003.

The Spartans have lost three straight postseason games since beating Fresno State in the 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic.