Joey McGuire arrived at Texas Tech with one mission: make Texas Tech football matter in the state of Texas again. Here is where that project stands.
The background:
- McGuire was a legendary Texas high school football coach (Cedar Hill) before becoming an assistant at Baylor.
- Hired at Texas Tech in November 2021. His introductory press conference went viral -- pure energy and confidence.
- His mantra: recruit the state of Texas first, everything else follows.
Recruiting shift:
- Under previous coaches, Texas Tech lost DFW and Houston recruits to out-of-state programs.
- McGuire's high school connections in Texas changed the pipeline immediately.
- Signing classes have improved in 247Sports composite rankings since his arrival.
- The NIL game at Tech has ramped up significantly.
On-field results:
- Bowl game appearances have returned consistency to the program.
- Competitive games against ranked opponents show improvement in talent level.
- The defense has improved under McGuire's staff. Tech was historically atrocious defensively.
The culture factor:
- McGuire sells Lubbock harder than any coach in Tech history. He genuinely loves being there and recruits can feel it.
- The Jones AT&T Stadium atmosphere has improved. Students are showing up again.
- The tortilla throwing tradition is alive and well.
Realistic ceiling:
- In the Big 12, Texas Tech can realistically compete for conference championships. The league is wide open without Texas and Oklahoma.
- A College Football Playoff appearance is the goal within 5 years. It is aggressive but not delusional given the new 12-team format.
Sources:
- 247Sports — recruiting class rankings
- Sports Reference — Texas Tech results
- Big 12 Conference — standings
- Lubbock Avalanche-Journal — program coverage
Drop your take below.
The DFW recruiting pipeline is the key to everything. If McGuire can consistently pull 3 and 4-star guys from the metroplex, Tech competes in the Big 12.