Yesterday, Texas Tech promoted Mark Adams as the head coach, led by a press conference that started with Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec, then Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt, and ending with the man of the hour, Mark Adams. I don’t have time to do a non-transcript, this is just me typing my thoughts and trying to summarize the press conference. Anything that’s actually quotes is, well, quoted –> “quote”.

Hocutt was fired-up Hocutt. He was puffing out his chest proud of the scene yesterday, including the coaches that were in attendance. Hocutt recognized the players who were in attendance and made them known that the new players have not seen what the United Supermarkets Arena the way that it is. Hocutt recognized Dusty Womble, who has his name on the new practice facility with Mark Adams stepping over to make it known how much he appreciates the Womble’s assistance. Hocutt then thanked Raider Riot, the student cheering section.

Hocutt said he was speaking on behalf of Red Raider Nation when he said, “Burn the Boats!” and with that, he introduced Mark Adams.

Adams thanked the crowd and said that if he gets a recruiting call, he’ll step out for a second. Adams gets choked up almost immediately as he thanks the crowd and says that he wouldn’t be here if it were not for the crowd.

Adams says that it is the best day of his life (excluding his wedding day and his kids’ birthdays), but in recent years. Adams says that he loves West Texas and he loves Texas Tech. This is home for Adams and he gets to stay home. Adams thanks his family, both Abbey and Luke, graduates from Texas Tech, and his grandson, his mom who is 90 years old (she doesn’t look 90 at all and looks amazing and says that she can get in a defensive stance). Adams says that he wishes his father was here and that he would be proud. Mark mentions his twin brother who passed away recently and that’s maybe the most emotional he gets during the entire press conference.

Adams thanks the selection committee, Tony Battie, Tony Hernandez, Hocutt, Schovanec, and Womble. Adams thanks all of the coaches and says that he looks forward to working with them. Adams also thanks his former players, and the former Red Raiders who endorsed Adams. Adams then thanked his players. Adams said that all of the players sitting there want to be back. Adams said that he loved the players and what he means to them. Adams also thanked Chris Beard and giving him an opportunity to coach with him and said that he is a friend and that he gets to be the head coach of Texas Tech because of him.

Adams said that we are going to build something great here and that “we ain’t done yet” and “we’re just getting started” and that “we’re building and moving forward” without compromise.

“I don’t know why anyone would ever want to leave this program.”

“It’s easy to recruit here and you make it easy.”

Generally speaking, this was a pretty emotional press conference for Adams, quite different than the Beard initial press conference. Adams’ theme was one of thanks, thankful for the opportunity and thankful for the people that helped him along the way. There’s not a right way or a wrong way to do this, but being thankful is definitely a good way, without a doubt. There’s also a video going around comparing the welcome of the two press conferences, with Beard being met by the cheerleaders as he walks into the press conference and Adams being met by a few thousand fans, some of whom actually tailgated. Quite a stark difference and Beard’s decision to leave a place that was ready to make him the king is interesting.

Want to mention a few items:

• I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Adams has apparently made his first hire in Portland State head coach Barret Peery. Peery was a long-time assistant coach and then got his shot as head coach at Southern Idaho and then Indian Hills before arriving at Portland State. Peery’s teams apparently love to press on defense and play fast on offense. If you were thinking that Adams was going to continue to play the same way that Texas Tech has . . . well, I have good news because Adams is basically thinking outside the box here and hiring a guy that has played the exact opposite of Adams’ no-middle defense.
• Adams salary is apparently in the neighborhood of $1.8 million or $1.9 million.
• This likely means that there is a significant amount of money, I’ve read $1.5 million, for a support staff. That’s pretty well ridiculous. Add in the $4 million for the UT buyout of Beard’s contract and there’s some money in this program for sure.
• I think Adams confirmed that Kevin McCullar, Kyler Edwards, Marcus Santos-Silva, Avery Benson, Clarence Nadolny, and Chibuzo Agbo would all return. That’s a pretty good roster with Terrence Shannon, Mac McClung, and Micah Peavy to decide where they will be next year.
• I’ll have more on Peery and the roster once I get a bit more time, I had football practice with my son last night, so time is/was short.