Thank You Tommy West

[BearGibson]

Tommy West was fired today, but he gave a great speech at his exiting press conference. Obviously he struggled at the FBS level, but I think he could do an FCS program some real good. Anyway, I applaud what he had to say and am sure a number of other coaches would say the same thing.

http://www.opensports.com/community/user/blog_entry/52/fa890d35-5b0a-45af-aa16-4a89588425e9

[psc2445]

That was excellent!!

[Bogus Megapardus]

Somebody give that man a job.

[proasu89]

He'll get plenty of offers if he wants back in and yes he could do wonders for a couple of FCS programs in the SoCon. He reminds me a little of Coach Moore when he came to App in 88.

[catamount man]

It's a shame that neither Tommy West or Bill Curry had the chance to coach at Western Carolina after we fired Steve Hodgin back in 1996. Those 2 could've put Cullowhee on the map. Good luck Coach West! xthumbsupx

[Go...gate]

Great job by Tommy West.

Reminds me in so many ways of Rutgers. It took RU 35 years to figure out what you need to do to be successful - pock marks and all. But they finally did it. What is sad are all the coaches, like Tommy West, who bleed their guts out to be successful and get insufficient support from their schools.

[GATA]

Great job by Tommy West.

Reminds me in so many ways of Rutgers. It took RU 35 years to figure out what you need to do to be successful - pock marks and all. But they finally did it. What is sad are all the coaches, like Tommy West, who bleed their guts out to be successful and get insufficient support from their schools.

Not to be a jerk...but Rutgers still hasn't figured out what you need to be successful. They had a nice little run with Ray Rice. They're pretty much back to obscurity now.

[Shellin]

I would hardly say they've faded back into obscurity, they had a nice run to make a bowl game again last year and they're currently 6-2 with games still to play against Big East cellar dwellers Louisville and Syracuse. Obviously they haven't gotten over the hump and into a BCS game but I think Schiano has them on the right track, their QB Savage is a true freshman and he looks like he could be a good one.

[UCMoc]

Giving Tommy West a job in the SoCon is only a good idea in theory. He's already been down that road (see 4-7 1993, Clemson 1993-94).

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

Somebody vote Tommy West in as President of the AFCA. I'd like to meet him. I wish I had a job for him, too!

[blueballs]

Perhaps Tim Stowers and Mike Sewak can send that tape to Sam Baker.

[chattanoogamocs]

I would say something nice about Tommy, but he was at Chattanooga so briefly, none of really got the chance to know him. He did beat #1 Marshall in his only year with the Mocs (thanks to 4 TD catches by some guy named Terrell Owens)

I do know this...Memphis (the admin) doesn't give a crap about football...all they care about is their Memphis Tigers NBDL team :)

I watched their game a couple of weeks ago versus ECU...the attendance in the Liberty Bowl (cap. 65,000)...4,119. OUCH.

[AppMan]

Remember Tommy from the early days of his career at ASU back in 1980 & 81.

[Go...gate]

Not to be a jerk...but Rutgers still hasn't figured out what you need to be successful. They had a nice little run with Ray Rice. They're pretty much back to obscurity now.

Maybe, but RU had trouble winning any games for a long, long time under Frank Burns, Dick Anderson, Doug Graber and Terry Shea as they tried to play big-time FB with a I-AA mindset and budget.

[DSUrocks07]

Maybe he can take a ride up the road to Nashville... xwhistlex

[RabidRabbit]

Western IL and Northwestern St. appear to be two programs ready for a new coach.















NDSU too? xoopsx

[catdaddy2402]

Tommy West is a great defensive coach and an even greater person. While the feelings are still pretty raw in Memphis at this time in the near future as time heals the wounds you'll likely find the same feelings for Tommy there that you'll find for him at Clemson......hate that we had to let him go because he's about the best human being you'll find....but he did it to himself.

Tommy West isn't capable of being a head football coach. Too indecisive on offensive philosophies, and doesn't get recruiting.


The year after he was fired at Clemson the starting OL was the youngest it had been since the WWII years. One JR and no SR OL on the roster, and it averaged around 260lbs a man. That was what would have been his 6th team at Clemson. One of the reasons is he couldn't decide what offensive philosophy he wanted to run. He went from an I formation option oriented attack at first to a spread oriented passing attack his last.

This year's Memphis team, his 9th there, has a roster where 32 of 102 position on the roster are filled with either transfers or JUCOs. When in year 9 33% of your roster is transfers at the FBS level there's serious problems in your recruiting philosophy.

Tommy needs to come to terms with the fact that he can make a pretty dang good living as a first rate DC, which he has the ability to be, and be happy with that.

[mrklean]

Tommy West is a great defensive coach and an even greater person. While the feelings are still pretty raw in Memphis at this time in the near future as time heals the wounds you'll likely find the same feelings for Tommy there that you'll find for him at Clemson......hate that we had to let him go because he's about the best human being you'll find....but he did it to himself.

Tommy West isn't capable of being a head football coach. Too indecisive on offensive philosophies, and doesn't get recruiting.


The year after he was fired at Clemson the starting OL was the youngest it had been since the WWII years. One JR and no SR OL on the roster, and it averaged around 260lbs a man. That was what would have been his 6th team at Clemson. One of the reasons is he couldn't decide what offensive philosophy he wanted to run. He went from an I formation option oriented attack at first to a spread oriented passing attack his last.

This year's Memphis team, his 9th there, has a roster where 32 of 102 position on the roster are filled with either transfers or JUCOs. When in year 9 33% of your roster is transfers at the FBS level there's serious problems in your recruiting philosophy.

Tommy needs to come to terms with the fact that he can make a pretty dang good living as a first rate DC, which he has the ability to be, and be happy with that.

you guys were running the TO at the time. You cant have 300 OL running the TO. I would love to have Tommy West as the coach at GSU. At least we would have a hard nose running game again.

[catdaddy2402]

you guys were running the TO at the time. You cant have 300 OL running the TO.
Really?

Just a few years earlier under Ken Hatfield we were running the triple option, and a lot better I might add, with a starting OL that averaged 301lbs per player....with a 272lb center.



I would love to have Tommy West as the coach at GSU. At least we would have a hard nose running game again.
At least one season. Then the next you'd have a spread offense passing attack.

There's a reason why Tommy West is a sub .500 head coach all-time.