New Texas Tech head football coach Joey McGuire will join the program immediately, and assumes head-coaching duties immediately following the 2021 football season, the school announced Monday. The news of McGuire’s immediate departure for Lubbock was previously confirmed by CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd before Texas Tech confirmed that timeline in the official announcement of McGuire’s hire.
After Texas Tech fired third-year head coach Matt Wells Oct. 25, midway through the 2021 college football season, the school officially made the call on its replacement by hiring the Baylor associate head coach/outside linebackers coach. Sources confirmed the move Monday morning to 247Sports’ Chris Hummer and InsideTheRedRaiders.com’s Jarret Johnson before it was officially announced the the university. Offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie was named interim head coach after Wells’ firing and will continue to hold that role through the end of the season.
The Lubbock (Texas) Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams and Carlos Silva Jr. first reported the news of Texas Tech’s decision to hire McGquire late Sunday night. The move registered a strong approval by local and national media members. McGuire leaves a Baylor football program that checked in at No. 12 in the first College Football Playoff rankings last Tuesday before the team was upended at TCU Saturday.
McGuire was in his fifth season on Baylor’s staff. After spending two seasons as tight ends coach from 2017-18, he was promoted to associate head coach and defensive ends coach for 2019. He maintained his title as associate head coach, and moved to outside linebackers coach under Dave Aranda — who succeeded former Baylor head coach Matt Rhule — in 2020.
McGuire made a name for himself at the high school level in Texas before joining Baylor’ staff in 2017, capturing multiple state titles as the head coach at Cedar Hill in a span of 14 seasons. McGuire was a 2020 inductee into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor.
Momentum turned in McGuire’s favor this past week. Johnson reported Sunday that McGuire was among Texas Tech’s top candidates.
This was the third season of the Wells era at Texas Tech, after he was hired away from Utah State in 2019. Wells was at Utah State for six seasons, where he posted a record of 44-34, including two seasons of 10 wins and one season of nine wins. However, the success did not carry over to Texas Tech.
In his first two years with the Red Raiders, Wells went a combined 8-14. Wells was a mere 5-13 in Big 12 play in that stretch and the 2021 season was not off to a much better start. Texas Tech did go 3-0 in non-conference play, but there were questions about the strength of schedule with Houston, Stephen F. Austin and Florida International.
More Stories
What are the roles of civil engineers in construction projects?
A Developer’s Dream: Achieving Full Stack Mastery with Logicmojo
Top 5 Benefits of Working with a Professional Locksmith