With head coach Joey McGuire taking over as head coach last season, the Texas Tech Red Raiders showed improvement, recording an 8-5 record while going 5-4 in Big 12 action. They closed their season out defeating Ole Miss in the Texas Bowl 42-25. The coaching staff is back for another season, and McGuire’s staff seems poised to take another step forward.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Coaching Staff
Head Coach, Joey McGuire
For a first-time college head coach, Joey McGuire made quite the first impression with Texas Tech taking over last season. The Red Raiders went 8-5 in McGuire’s first season, winning their bowl game and finishing fourth in the Big 12 standings. Despite three different quarterbacks making starts for the team, Texas Tech found success in winning thanks to McGuire’s leadership.
Prior to Texas Tech, McGuire got his first college coaching job with Baylor, working with the school from 2017 until 2021. He started as their tight ends coach but moved positions and got a promotion in 2019, becoming associate head coach and defensive end coach. In 2020, he retained his associate head coaching job but switched from coaching defensive ends to coaching outside linebackers.
He was more known for his work in high school as he was a 14-year head coach at Cedar Hill High School in Texas from 2003 until 2016. McGuire produced a 142-42 during that span, making the playoffs in 12 straight seasons. They won three state championships in 2006, 2013, and 2014 while being a runner-up in 2012. His Cedar Hill squad took home seven district titles and nine bi-district titles.
Before he was a first-time head coach, he coached defensive backs at Cedar Hill High School from 1997 until 2002. His first job in high school was at Crowley High School, coaching their defensive line from 1995 through 1996.
Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach, Zach Kittley
Texas Tech has their air raid offense return thanks to Zach Kittley joining the team in 2021 with McGuire. The offense found success last season, averaging 34.2 points per game and ranked ninth in the nation in passing yards per game with 302. What was impressive was that Kittley was able to do this despite three different starting quarterbacks who threw for at least 1,000 yards.
His last two stops were offensive coordinator and quarterback coach roles at Western Kentucky and Houston Baptist with a common connection: NFL quarterback Bailey Zappe. The connection was that Kittley was Zappe’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at both schools, where they set records together. In 2021 at Western Kentucky, Zappe set the NCAA FBS record for passing yards (5,967) and passing touchdowns (62) in a single season.
Kittley’s offense at Western Kentucky was one of the best in the nation in 2021, averaging 535.3 yards per game and 44.2 points per game. They also led the nation in passing yards per game the same season with 433.7 yards per game.
At Houston Baptist, they were the nation’s leader in passing touchdowns thanks to Zappe’s 35 in the 2019 season, while also leading in passing offense with 334.3 yards per game. The Huskies were also 12th in the nation in total offense, with 426.6 yards per game in 2019.
His first coaching stop was at Texas Tech, where he helped assist in coaching the quarterbacks. The biggest name from his time coaching them was Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, as he finished in the top three in passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, and completions. This is where Kittley got the reputation of being a QB guru, helping with the development of multiple quarterbacks.
- Texas Tech (Student Assistant, 2013-2014)
- Texas Tech (Graduate Assistant, 2015-2017)
- Houston Baptist (OC/QB Coach, 2018-2020)
- Western Kentucky (OC/QB Coach, 2021)
Defensive Coordinator, Tim DeRuyter
Tim DeRuyter has a long reputation for being a great defensive mind with almost 30 years of experience being a defensive coordinator or head coach. He has had defensive coordinator stops at Ohio, Navy, Nevada, Air Force, Texas A&M, California, and Oregon.
During his time at Texas Tech, as he enters his second season with the program this year, the Red Raiders defense allowed 29.2 points per game, which is the lowest the program has had in over ten years. They ranked 20th in tackles for loss with 91. DeRuyter helped former defensive end/outside linebacker Tyree Wilson have career numbers, leading to Wilson being drafted seventh overall in the NFL Draft in 2023.
His most important stop was at Fresno State, where he took over the program as head coach, being with the school from 2012 until 2016. DeRuyter got off to a fast start with a 20-6 record in his first two seasons, including two Mountain West Conference titles in the process. He would finish his Bulldog coaching career with a 30-30 record, two conference titles, three conference title appearances, and three bowl game appearances.
DeRuyter has a reputation for joining programs to turn around defenses. At California, they went from being ranked 125th in total defense to being as high as 15th under DeRuyter. It was similar at Texas A&M as the Aggies transformed from the 104th-ranked scoring defense in 2009 to the 21st in 2010. His performance with the Aggies landed him one game as an interim head coach in 2011, where they won their bowl game against Northwestern.
- Air Force (Assistant, 1989-1992)
- Ohio (DC/DB Coach, 1995-1998)
- Navy (DC, 1999-2000)
- Navy (DB Coach, 2001)
- Ohio (DC/DB Coach, 2002-2004)
- Nevada (co-DC/S Coach, 2005-2006)
- Air Force (AHC/DC/S Coach, 2007-2009)
- Texas A&M (AHC/DC/Interim HC, 2010-2011)
- Fresno State (HC, 2012-2016)
- California (AHC/DC/LB Coach, 2017-2020)
- Oregon (DC/OLB Coach, 2021)
Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/RB Coach, Kenny Perry
Another veteran of the coaching scene, Kenny Perry, has had over 30 years of coaching experience on the high school, college, and professional levels. Perry joined the Texas Tech coaching staff after the 2021 season, coaching the running backs and special teams.
In his first season with the Red Raiders in 2022, his backfield helped the offense rank in the top 30 in rushing touchdowns. His special teams unit saw success, and his kicker, Trey Wolff, only missed four of his 25 field goal attempts last season, which is second-best in school history.
After being a graduate assistant in Houston back in the early 90s, Perry had a run as head coach of multiple high schools in Texas from 200 until 2012. He was head coach at Sam Houston High School, Haltom City High School, and Arlington Bowie High School. At Arlington Bowie, he finished his seven seasons with a 67-22 record with playoff appearances each season and won District Coach of the Year three times.
He has had assistant coaching stops at SMU, Kansas, and TCU. His only stop at the professional level was with the spring football league XFL, where he worked under former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops with the Dallas Renegades for five games before the season was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Houston (Graduate Assistant, 1992-1994)
- Sam Houston High School (HC, 2000-2003)
- Haltom City High School (HC, 2004-2005)
- Arlington Bowie High School (HC, 2006-2012)
- TCU (RC/CB, 2013-2014)
- Kansas (Co-DC/CB Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Special Teams Coach, 2015-2018)
- Dallas Renegades (XFL) (Special Teams Coordinator, 2020)
- SMU (Special Teams Coordinator/Special Teams Quality Control Analyst, 2020-2021)
Assistant Head Coach/Passing Game Coordinator/WR, Coach Justin Johnson
Justin Johnson is entering his first season with the Red Raiders but has some familiarity with McGuire as the two previously worked together at Baylor. Johnson has spent the last three seasons coaching the Baylor Bears’ running backs, including coaching former running back Abram Smith to a 1,601-yard rushing season in 2021, ranked fifth in the nation. He also had offensive assistant coaching jobs at Houston, Kansas, and Texas A&M.
Outside Linebackers Coach, C.J. Ah You
This is season two for C.J. Ah You as he returns to coach the outside linebackers. Ah You played a big role in the development of Tyree Wilson, adding some versatility to his game last season. His coaching stops prior to Texas Tech include USC, Los Angeles Chargers (NFL), New York Guardians (XFL), Vanderbilt, and Oklahoma.
Inside Linebackers Coach, Josh Bookbinder
Josh Bookbinder is entering his second season with the Red Raiders, coaching their inside linebackers. Bookbinder’s starters Krishon Merriweather and Kosi Eldridge combined for 203 total tackles last season. This is the second time Bookbinder has worked with McGuire, as the two were together at Baylor. He has also coached with the San Antonio Commanders (AAF), Liberty, Carson-Newman, and Richmond.
Tight Ends Coach, Josh Cochran
Another Josh on the coaching staff, Cochran, is in his second season as well coaching the tight ends. His tight end unit combined for five touchdowns last season. He was previously co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Austin Peay for two seasons. Cochran also coached at North Carolina, Baylor, East Texas Baptist, Lindale High School, and Texas.
Defensive Line Coach, Zarnell Fitch
In his second season at Texas Tech, Zarnell Fitch worked fast to develop one of the top defensive lines in the Big 12. Fitch helped with the development of Jaylon Hutchings and Tony Bradford Jr., who have both been All-Big 12 selections under Fitch. He has also been at TCU and Lincoln High School during his coaching career, including being the head coach at Lincoln High School in 2013.
Offensive Line Coach, Stephen Hamby
This is the second season for Stephen Hamby coaching the offensive line and the second time he has been on a Texas Tech coaching staff. Hamby’s offensive line played a big role in the turnaround with the offense that included center Dennis Wilburn earning All-Big 12 honors last season. He previously coached the offensive line under Kittley at Western Kentucky. Hamby also coached at Bowling Green from 2016 until 2018, with his first three seasons as a coach at Texas Tech as an offensive line assistant.
Passing Game Coordinator/Secondary Coach, Marcel Yates
Marcel Yates is a veteran coach who has worked under defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter in California and Oregon. The passing game coordinator and secondary coach is back for season two with the Red Raiders after allowing 256.8 passing yards per game last season, which is the school’s lowest since 2014. As a defensive coordinator, Yates also coached at Arizona, Boise State, and Texas A&M.
