Texas Tech's Tuberville pulls headset off assistant
On the scale of football coaches losing their temper along the sideline, Tommy Tuberville's actions Saturday won't rate up there with Woody Hayes slugging an opposing player or Buddy Ryan taking a poke at one of his assistant coaches.
Still, Tuberville, the Texas Tech head coach, put himself in the spotlight by ripping the headset off graduate assistant Kevin Oliver during the Red Raiders' 41-34, double-overtime win against Kansas.
After Texas Tech's offense was penalized for an illegal-formation penalty early in the third quarter, Fox television cameras captured Tuberville screaming at Oliver and pulling Oliver's headset to the ground.
Tuberville later said he was merely trying to keep his assistant off the field.
"He was on the field, and I reached to grab him and pull him off," Tuberville said. "When I pulled, I missed his shirt and I grabbed his (headset) and his microphone ripped off his head. I was trying to get him off the field."
The head coach added, "We couldn't get the right personnel. We got two back-to-back penalties. That's what I was hot about."
At the time of the incident, the Red Raiders led 21-17. Texas Tech ultimately blew a 27-17 fourth-quarter lead, with the Jayhawks tying the game in the final minute of regulation on a 32-yard field goal.
Texas Tech scored touchdowns on both of its overtime possessions. Kansas scored a touchdown in the first OT, but the Red Raiders held on fourth-and-9 from the 24-yard line in the second OT to seal the win.
