Texas Tech football put rumors of its coordinators’ departure for head coaching gigs to bed with substantial raises to all three of the Red Raider coordinators’ three-year deals.
General Manager James Blanchard was also extended a season after Notre Dame attempted to sign the budding recruiter.
Defensive coordinator Shiel Wood and offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich’s contracts were signed Oct. 30 to increase their tenure and salaries until the 2028 season, with Wood set to make $5.55 million and Leftwich to make $4.8 million. It is a 48% and 45.5% raise, respectively. The Dallas Morning News has put in an open records request for special teams coordinator Kenny Perry’s contract, but his term will also run through the end of the 2028 season.
Leftwich and Wood have a list of bonuses available to them, but will receive a base salary of $300,000. Wood will make $1.8 million for the 2026 contract year, $1.85 million for 2027 and $1.9 million for 2028. Leftwich will make $1.55 million for the 2026 contract year, $1.6 million for 2027 and $1.65 million for 2028.
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Wood is a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top coordinator, following a season in which Texas Tech posted a pair of shutouts and the nation’s top rush defense. He also serves as the inside linebackers coach, where he aided in Jacob Rodriguez’s career year. The fifth-year linebacker won the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Dick Butkus Award, the Lombardi Award and the Bronco Nagurski Trophy.
Leftwich led a unit that is third in the FBS in scoring offense and fifth in total offense. He managed a two-back system but still produced a 1,000-yard rusher in Cameron Dickey, while J’Koby Williams earned 1,158 scrimmage yards.
Both coordinators’ buyouts would be waived if they were to take a job as an NCAA head coach, an NFL coordinator or if head coach Joey McGuire were no longer the Texas Tech head coach.
Perry has been a member of McGuire’s staff since the fourth-year head coach arrived in Lubbock. Perry has produced a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award or Ray Guy Award in his past two seasons, while also leading the nation in blocked punts during the 2025 season.
During the 2023-24 offseason, Perry interviewed for the UTEP head coaching job. He has since pledged a consistent loyalty to Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders will compete in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 1 against James Madison or Oregon.
Former interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas dies at 93
As the Big 12’s interim commissioner from 2011-12, Neinas presided over the conference’s additions of TCU and West Virginia.
Breaking down Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire’s lucrative 7-year contract extension
The fourth-year head coach is eligible for up to $1.2 million in bonuses per year.
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