Texas Tech’s McGuire Faces Significant Changes in the Offseason
Big changes are on the horizon for Texas Tech football, despite head coach Joey McGuire returning for his fourth season. McGuire is now on the lookout for both a new offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator after his OC Zach Kittley accepted a position at Florida Atlantic University on Monday, and DC Tim DeRuyter was dismissed on Sunday following a lackluster performance on defense.
These changes come after an 8-4 season for the Red Raiders, which, although respectable, was expected to be a stepping stone toward competing for a Big 12 championship. McGuire was particularly frustrated after seeing Arizona State and Iowa State—two teams the Red Raiders had defeated—advance to the Big 12 title game.
Following a dominant 52-15 win over West Virginia, McGuire acknowledged the need for improvement. “The last few weeks we’ve been reflecting on how we can get better,” he said. “Offensively, we’ve played well recently, with more tempo, but defensively, our stats are not where they need to be. It’s remarkable that we won eight games with the kind of defensive stats we have. It shows how hard these players are fighting for each other.”
DeRuyter, who dealt with significant injuries on the defensive line and had to rely on inexperienced players, struggled to stabilize the defense. While the defense contributed to key victories over Arizona and Iowa State, it was also responsible for costly breakdowns, including a 52-51 win over Abilene Christian, a blown lead in a 35-34 loss at TCU, and a 56-48 win at Oklahoma State.
McGuire emphasized the need for better defense and quicker stops: “You have to play better defense and get off the field. We need to continue growing and play better on both sides of the ball.” In addition to DeRuyter’s firing, McGuire also let go of defensive backs coach Marcel Yates.
Kittley’s move to FAU was expected. As a young offensive mind, he had success this season, leading an offense that averaged 459.8 yards per game, including 298.1 passing yards per game. He also benefited from having one of the program’s all-time greats, running back Tahj Brooks, who became the school’s all-time leading rusher. However, Kittley sometimes struggled with playcalling, overthinking situations when a simple solution, like handing the ball to Brooks, might have been more effective.
Now, McGuire faces the task of hiring new coordinators. With Brooks likely leaving, the new offensive coordinator will inherit talented quarterbacks in Behren Morton and Will Hammond, along with promising young receivers and running backs. Despite the departure of former five-star recruit Micah Hudson via the transfer portal, the receiver position remains strong, and the offensive strategy will likely remain focused on spreading the field and perhaps passing more frequently without Brooks as a reliable option.
On defense, McGuire will need to decide on a new scheme and hopes to see the return of injured edge players to bolster the defense. The team will likely target the transfer portal to add experienced players to this side of the ball.
As McGuire navigates these changes and prepares for signing day and the upcoming bowl game, he must manage the transition in a college football landscape where turnover and constant change are the new norm.
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