Matt Wells is making some changes as he tries to get Texas Tech back to the postseason and turn things around in Lubbock.
In a pair of moves that surfaced around the same time, the Red Raiders will apparently see a bit of a staff shake up on the defensive side of the ball as safeties coach Kerry Cooks will not return to the program for 2020. At the same time, recently fired Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando is reuniting with several familiar faces as Tech’s new linebackers coach and assistant head coach:
Just spoke to Kerry Cooks, the Texas Tech safeties coach. He’s parted ways with the school and is looking for NFL or college opportunities in the secondary. He’s coached DBs at OU, Notre Dame and Wisconsin.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 8, 2020
Welcome to Lubbock, @CoachTOrlando!
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) January 8, 2020
🔴#WreckEm⚫️ pic.twitter.com/d2jm2HuRQx
Orlando is no stranger to Wells, having been DC under the head coach when the two were at Utah State from 2013-14. He eventually left for the same position when Tom Herman was hired at Houston and then followed Herman up the road to Austin.
With Orlando onboard at Tech coaching linebackers, current DC Keith Patterson will shift to coaching safeties. That’s the result of Cooks departure, a former fifth round pick out of Iowa who spent a few years in the NFL before transitioning into coaching. Well regarded for his recruiting skills, he occupied a variety of high profile positions at Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Oklahoma before joining the Red Raiders last offseason.
Texas Tech and their new look staff will open the 2020 season in El Paso against UTEP before returning home to face an FCS team and Arizona in the non-conference slate.