Texas Tech Follows Boston College's Lead in Negotiations With Mike Leach

Last month Boston College drew a line in the sand with coach Jeff Jagodzinski, firing him because he interviewed for the vacant head coaching job with the New York Jets. Many people in and around college football thought the BC administration had gone too far, but the folks at Texas Tech liked what they saw.

Texas Tech is currently in contract negotiations with coach Mike Leach, and those talks aren't going anywhere because Tech officials and Leach have very different views on what should happen if Leach looks to leave the Red Raiders.

The Associated Press got its hands on documents related to the Leach-Tech negotiations, and the key sticking points are about the steps the school could take if Leach leaves -- or even tries to leave. The major issue is that the school wants a contract provision that would cause Leach to be fired and pay a $1.5-million penalty if he interviews for another job without permission.

Leach and his agent don't like that, and it's hard to blame them. Not many people want to be told they can't seek greener pastures.

On the other hand, not many people get paid the kind of money Leach gets. And in sports, it's quite common for athletes to sign contracts that restrict their ability to seek other employment. Why shouldn't the same standards apply to coaches?

Leach, his agents and the school administration have been getting increasingly testy with each other in all these negotiations, but Leach says he's just going to keep coaching and let the contract work itself out, adding, "It's pretty much out of my hands. I'm just focused on coaching football."