Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire used his post-game press conference to lavish praise on his vanquished opponent, the BYU Cougars, by crediting them for giving up their previous independent status and joining a conference (the Big 12) and joining everyone else who is “earning” their way into college football’s postseason. Then, in one of the more dramatic press conference heel turns you’re ever going to see, McGuire then took a direct shot at the nation’s premier independent college football program, Notre Dame, for not joining a conference.
Of course, he didn’t actually call out the Irish by name.
“I was really excited whenever (BYU) joined the Big 12, because I think that they carry a lot of weight and a lot of respect. I think that I have a lot of respect for them entering a conference and not playing an independent schedule like other people,” McGuire said, leaving everyone to conclude that the “other people” were Notre Dame. “You already know who that is, and so I have a lot of respect for that.
“I mean, they’re earning their right just like everybody, but a couple of people in the nation are earning their right through conference play, and playing in some really tough places.”
Where to start with this?
First, for all this talk of Notre Dame playing a “weak” schedule and not “earning” their way like everyone else. According to the Sagarin Rankings, Texas Tech is ranked 68th in terms of strength of schedule. In comparison, independent Notre Dame is ranked 22nd in strength of schedule.
So, the coach need not worry about Notre Dame not “earning” their way to the playoffs. If both teams get there, Notre Dame will have earned it more than Texas Tech, given the difficulty of its schedule.
Also, Coach McGuire might want to be careful about calling out other teams for how they earn their way into the postseason.
The Red Raiders got physically beaten up by a mediocre Arkansas team in the Liberty Bowl last year. They were likely headed for another middling, also-ran bowl game this year as well, before billionaire Texas Tech alums inflated their NIL budget to the largest in college football.
For example, the Red Raiders $7 million on their defensive line alone, including $3 million to one player, Stanford transfer David Bailey. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Texas Tech’s $28 million NIL budget was not only larger than Ohio State’s but also second only to Texas’s.
Many college football teams won’t spend $7 million in NIL in a season, let alone on only one part of the defense. NIL is legal. McGuire has done nothing wrong and has coached well. But when lobbing bombs at others for supposedly taking the easy way out, he might want to look in the mirror first.
Breitbart News
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