Tommy Tuberville's sudden departure from Texas Tech to Cincinnati surprised just about everyone, but it must have really surprised the Texas Tech recruits that were out to dinner with the coach when Tuberville simply left.

At least that's the story told by a recruit to TexasTech.247sports.com.

Devonte Danzey, an offensive lineman from Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College, said he and at least two other recruits were out with a large group of Red Raiders coaches including Tuberville at dinner on his official visit.

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Danzey said he asked the coaches how long they expected to be at Texas Tech, and Tuberville kind of danced around the question. That didn't seem too odd to Danzey, but it got weird when the coach was suddenly gone from the restaurant.

"The waitress brought our food out, and we thought [Tuberville] went to the bathroom, but he never came back to dinner," Danzey told the website. "Then next thing I know, the next day, he made an announcement that he's going to Cincinnati."

A Texas Tech spokesman confirmed to the site that the coaches took the players to dinner that night, but he had not heard of any incident there.

Danzey said that when the recruits showed up the next day for their tour of the campus, Tuberville wasn't there, and offensive line coach Chris Thomsen -- Texas Tech's new interim coach -- told the group Tuberville had taken the job at Cincinnati.

There's always some weird happenings during the coaching carousel season, but if this one is true, it's one of the most stupefying ones we've heard.

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