James has support of critical Tech asst.
December 31, 2009
SAN ANTONIO (AP)—A Texas Tech assistant who criticized Adam James in hopes ofsaving Mike Leach’s job said Thursday the son of the ESPN analyst has hissupport in the wake of the head coach’s firing.
Acting offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley stopped short, however, of sayingwhether he wants the sophomore wide receiver back next season.
“It’s on him and his family,” Riley said. “I can’t really comment on thatbecause I don’t know. I can’t think about that right now. I got to be thinkingabout Michigan State.”
In a letter last week to Texas Tech administrators Riley called James“unusually lazy and entitled.” The school fired Leach on Wednesday afterallegations that he mistreated James’ concussion.
“I told (James) I know we’re on different sides of the fence on this deal,but he’s still my player,” Riley said. “All the threats to him and his familyare ridiculous. I told him if he needs help as far as feeling endangered in anyway, I’ll help him out any way I can.”
James is the son of former NFL player and current ESPN analyst Craig James.In the town north of Dallas where the James family lives, police have beefed uppatrols around the home because of threatening statements made online.
“Nothing has happened at the house, but everybody knows what’s occurred onthe blogs over there, so it’s precautionary to the threats being made,” CelinaPolice Chief Joe Williams said Thursday.
Riley declined comment on the harshly critical letter he sent to universityofficials Dec. 26, two days before Leach was suspended indefinitely. Riley wrotethat James is the type of person who makes “excuses or blames people for thingsthat go wrong in his life.”
James continues to practice with Texas Tech but will not play Saturday inthe Alamo Bowl against Michigan State.
Texas Tech did not make players available to reporters for the secondconsecutive day. James joked around with teammates Thursday while walking offthe practice field.
Nearby, Mike Leach’s name was still branded prominently on the outside ofthe team’s equipment trailer.
After Leach’s firing, wide receiver Tramain Swindall told The AssociatedPress he supported the decision to fire Leach. Contrary to comments made bySwindall and other players happy to see Leach go, Riley said it doesn’t reflectthe attitude of the entire team.
“I think it’s easy to say that when somebody’s gone,” Riley said.
Riley, a former walk-on quarterback at Texas Tech who Leach made a studentcoach, flatly said “no” when asked if Leach ever put a player in harm. Hedeclined to say whether he thought Leach got a fair shake.
Riley was among several current Texas Tech coaches and former players whowrote letters defending Leach last week to school administrators. The letterswere obtained by CBSSports.com.
Associated Press Writer John McFarland in Dallas contributed to this report.
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