Tubby Smith named Big 12's Coach of the Year after leading Texas Tech's turnaround
By Mike DuPont , Special Contributor Contact Mike DuPont on Twitter: @MikeDuPont_
Texas Tech's regular season reached its conclusion with a win over Kansas State on Saturday but the Red Raiders were also victors on Sunday afternoon when the Big 12 announced its All-Conference awards.
Tech coach Tubby Smith earned the Big 12's Coach of the Year award after guiding the Red Raiders to a 19-win season, including nine wins in conference play and a potential NCAA Tournament appearance.
Smith has won more than 500 games as a head coach at five programs and has earned Coach of the Year recognition in three different conferences, including the Mountain Valley Conference and the SEC.
Last season's award winner, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins spoke highly of Smith and Texas Tech's decision to hire him earlier in the season, attributing Texas Tech's gradual ascent to the depth of talent within the Big 12 Conference.
"Listen, I knew when, you know, I see on the ticker that [Texas Tech] hired Tubby Smith here then I knew that they wanted to win. Because that guy's a winner, he's been a winner anywhere he's ever been. He does a great job of bench coaching. They recruited good players, they've got good players.
"That's the problem with this league: there's too many good players on every team and there's too many good coaches sitting there. You can't outsmart anybody and I guess the people who make shots that day and play the best that day win."
Kansas coach Bill Self expressed a similar sentiment while also acknowledging Smith's assistant coaches Pooh Williamson, Joe Esposito and Vince Taylor made positive contributions to Texas Tech's recent success.
"He has a great staff," Self said. "Tubby is an icon in our profession. It's great to see all the good things that have happened to them. They are young so they are going to continue to get better. They have so many different guys step up and make plays. When we start talking about Coach of the Year, I don't think you have to look much further than Tubby."
If the Red Raiders were to hear their name called next Sunday, Smith would join Lon Kruger as the only coaches to lead five different programs to the tournament.
http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/col...ch-coach-tubby-smith-named-big-12s-coach-year
By Mike DuPont , Special Contributor Contact Mike DuPont on Twitter: @MikeDuPont_
Texas Tech's regular season reached its conclusion with a win over Kansas State on Saturday but the Red Raiders were also victors on Sunday afternoon when the Big 12 announced its All-Conference awards.
Tech coach Tubby Smith earned the Big 12's Coach of the Year award after guiding the Red Raiders to a 19-win season, including nine wins in conference play and a potential NCAA Tournament appearance.
Smith has won more than 500 games as a head coach at five programs and has earned Coach of the Year recognition in three different conferences, including the Mountain Valley Conference and the SEC.
Last season's award winner, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins spoke highly of Smith and Texas Tech's decision to hire him earlier in the season, attributing Texas Tech's gradual ascent to the depth of talent within the Big 12 Conference.
"Listen, I knew when, you know, I see on the ticker that [Texas Tech] hired Tubby Smith here then I knew that they wanted to win. Because that guy's a winner, he's been a winner anywhere he's ever been. He does a great job of bench coaching. They recruited good players, they've got good players.
"That's the problem with this league: there's too many good players on every team and there's too many good coaches sitting there. You can't outsmart anybody and I guess the people who make shots that day and play the best that day win."
Kansas coach Bill Self expressed a similar sentiment while also acknowledging Smith's assistant coaches Pooh Williamson, Joe Esposito and Vince Taylor made positive contributions to Texas Tech's recent success.
"He has a great staff," Self said. "Tubby is an icon in our profession. It's great to see all the good things that have happened to them. They are young so they are going to continue to get better. They have so many different guys step up and make plays. When we start talking about Coach of the Year, I don't think you have to look much further than Tubby."
If the Red Raiders were to hear their name called next Sunday, Smith would join Lon Kruger as the only coaches to lead five different programs to the tournament.
http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/col...ch-coach-tubby-smith-named-big-12s-coach-year
