Texas Tech hires Shiel Wood from Houston to take over as defensive coordinator

LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech is hiring Houston defensive coordinator Shiel Wood for the same position as the Red Raiders begin retooling a unit that finished 15th in the 16-team Big 12 in the regular season.

The addition of Wood was announced Wednesday, three days after the firing of defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter and Marcel Yates, the defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach.

Wood is set to be the defensive coordinator for a fifth team in five seasons. Before Houston, he was at Tulane and Troy for a year apiece. Wood spent two seasons at Army, the second as co-defensive coordinator.

The South Carolina native also has been an assistant at Georgia Tech, Georgia State and Wofford.

The Cougars improved to 26th nationally in total defense from 112th the year before he arrived with Houston coach Willie Fritz.

Wood's defenses at Troy and Tulane finished in the top 10 nationally in takeaways. Troy won 12 games, including the Sun Belt Conference championship game, with Wood running the defense in 2022.

“Coach Wood has a proven track record of immediately improving defenses and creating havoc with turnovers, which was exactly the philosophy we were looking for as we move forward as a program,” coach Joey McGuire said.

The Red Raiders rank 15th in the Big 12 in total defense and scoring defense, allowing 451.9 yards and 34.5 points per game.

Texas Tech is last in the conference and 133rd out of 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in pass defense at 305.3 yards per game. The Red Raiders have 26 TD passes, tied for most in the Big 12.

The Red Raiders also will have a new offensive coordinator after Zach Kittley left for the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic.