Texas Tech coach Mark Adams resigns after insensitive comments

KANSASCITY, Mo. (AP) — Texas Tech coach Mark Adams, who had beensuspended recently for racially insensitive comments made towardone of his players, resigned shortly after the Red Raiders wereeliminated from the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night.

Second-yearassistant Corey Williams had led the Red Raiders intheir 78-62 loss to WestVirginia.

Theincident involving Adams occurred in a meeting with a player, whowasn’t identified, Texas Tech said Sunday in announcing hissuspension. The school said Adams “was encouraging thestudent-athlete to be more receptive to coaching and referencedBible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves servingtheir masters.”

Red Raidersathletic director Kirby Hocutt learned of the incident last Fridayand issued a written reprimand, and Adams coached them in a regularseason-ending loss to Oklahoma State the next day. But after Hocuttinvestigated the situation further,he decided to suspendAdamsjust three days before the start of the Big 12Tournament.

In itsrelease Wednesday about Adams stepping down, the school said Hocuttdetermined after the inquiry that the racially insensitive commentwas unintentional and an isolated incident.

Adamswaited until his team was eliminated before announcing that he wasstepping down.

“Mylifelong goal was to help and be a positive influence on myplayers, and to be a part of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team,”Adams said in a statement. “However, both the university and Ibelieve this incident has become a distraction for the Texas Techmen’s basketball team and the university, which I care about sodeeply.”

This isn’tthe first time that high-profile coaches have been in trouble forinsensitive comments.

Three yearsago, Pat Chambers resigned at Penn State after one of his formerplayers revealed the coach said he wanted to “loosen the noosethat’s around your neck” when talking to the player about helpinghim reduce stress; he wsa hired at Florida Gulf Coast this season.And during the 2020-21 season, Creighton coach Greg McDermottapologized for telling his team after a loss to “stay on theplantation” as a way to reminding them to stick together; he wassuspended for one game.

The66-year-old Adams graduated from Texas Tech in 1979 and had been onthe staff there since 2016, beginning as director of basketballoperations under Tubby Smith and then spending time on ChrisBeard’s staff. He was elevated to head coach when Beard departedfor Texas, and signed a $15.5 million, five-year contract extensionlast spring.

Theextension came after Adams led the Red Raiders to the finals of theBig 12 Tournament, where they lost to eventual national championKansas. They went to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in hisfirst season in charge.

Thingssoured quickly this season, though. Texas Tech lost its first eightconference games, and any hope of making a run to the Big 12Tournament title and a return to the NCAA tourney ended with adismal effort against the Mountaineers.

“If I’mbeing honest, it’s a lot of weight on these kids right now. They’vebeen through a lot in the last week or so,” Williams saidafterward. “And in some ways, I just feel like it caught up withthem, and they wanted to win.

“They gavetheir best. And once the ball stopped falling in a little bit, itgot a little bit more tougher,” he added. “The hill became a lotsteeper, and unfortunate we weren’t able to make up thedifference.”