Fansided

Report: Texas Tech Hires Tubby Smith as New Head Coach

By Josh Hill

Feb 20, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Tubby Smith directs his defense against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Schottenstein Center. Ohio State won the game 71-45. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 20, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Tubby Smith directs his defense against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Schottenstein Center. Ohio State won the game 71-45. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports /
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***UPDATE***

According to Texas Tech, all reports — including those from the Associated Press and ESPN— are premature and Smith has not yet been hired by the school.

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A week after his six year run at the University of Minnesota came to an end, head coach Tubby Smith has found a new home. According to the Associated Press, Texas Tech has reached out and agreed to a deal with Smith to make him the next head coach of the Red Raiders.

"A person with knowledge of the deal says Texas Tech agreed to terms Monday with Smith on a contract to be its next coach. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made."

Smith enters his tenure with Texas Tech after the program has been through quite a lot in the recent years. Billy Gillispe had been the head coach, but his one year stint proved to be detrimental to not only team moral but to Gillispe’s health as well. Interim head coach Chris Walker did what he could with a mutinous team, but managed to only go 11-20 on the season and just 3-5 in the Big 12.

It’s been a while since Texas Tech has been competitive in the Big 12, but the hope is that Smith can come in and redeem himself and in the process lift the program to new heights. That was the exact same sentiment shared by the Golden Gophers six years ago, but Smith was never able to do much more for the Gophers than take them to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

Still, Smith taking the Gophers to the NCAA Tournament was something few coaches had done before in recent years, which means Smith’s stint with Minnesota wasn’t the bust some fans think it is. Texas Tech is in a similar situation as the Gophers were half a decade ago, and while Smith doesn’t have the pristine sheen on him he did when the Gophers hired him, the Red Raiders are hoping he can dig deep and lift the program.

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