Texas Tech football is leaning on new NFL-tested defensive line coaches as the Red Raiders reload after a 41-sack season and big NFL Draft buzz.
Texas Tech football is trying to keep one of its biggest strengths intact, even after major changes on the coaching staff.
Following a 2025 season in which the Red Raiders defensive line helped fuel a 12-2 record and piled up 41 sacks, Texas Tech is now turning to two new assistants with NFL backgrounds to keep that momentum rolling in 2026.
That transition matters because the standard up front is high.
David Bailey is viewed as a potential early first-round NFL Draft pick, while Lee Hunter and Romello Height have also generated significant pro attention after last season’s dominant production.
Replacing that kind of leadership and output won’t be easy, which is why new edge coach Jacquies Smith and defensive tackles coach Imarjaye Albury Sr. are under an early spotlight this spring.
So far, Albury likes what he’s seen.
“They've bought in, and we're gettin' there,” he said this week, offering an early read on a group working through spring practice in Lubbock.
Smith arrives after helping guide an Atlanta Falcons pass rush that posted a franchise-record 57 sacks last season. For the Dallas native, coming back to Texas and joining Joey McGuire’s staff felt like the right move.
Smith called the opportunity “a no-brainer,” pointing to both the pull of home and the chance to work for McGuire.
Albury brings a different path but a similar NFL polish after spending the last six years with the Minnesota Vikings.
A former interior lineman himself, he said technique and preparation shaped his own career, explaining, “I was always the guy that was intrigued by technique and fundamentals.”
That mindset could be important for a Texas Tech front trying to develop its next wave of impact defenders.
For now, the message from both new coaches is clear: the Red Raiders aren’t trying to reinvent their defensive line identity.
They’re trying to sharpen it with NFL experience, player development and a standard built to keep Texas Tech dangerous in the trenches.
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