Texas Tech to hire Houston's Shiel Wood as next defensive coordinator, per report

Texas Tech is set to hire Houston defensive coordinator Shiel Wood for the same role, Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reported Tuesday. He will replace Tim DeRuyter, who was fired this offseason after three years as the Red Raiders defensive coordinator.

Wood comes to Lubbock after spending just one season with the Cougars. He helped Houston to rank second in the Big 12 in total defense and finish with a 4-8 record in its second season in the conference.

Texas Tech is coming off of a season in which it finished last in the Big 12 with 305.3 yards per game, which also 133rd out of 134 FBS teams. Only Tulsa surrendered more air yards on the season.

The Red Raiders still managed to finish with an 8-4 record thanks to an offense that ranked No. 1 in the Big 12. However, the success led to offensive coordinator Zach Kittley taking the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic. That means Tech will open the 2025 season with new coordinators on both sides of the ball.

Wood had previously been a defensive coordinator at Army, Troy and Tulane in addition to Houston.

Tulane finished 11-3 in 2023, and Wood’s defense ranked among the top 30 in the FBS in eight statistical categories. Troy went 12-2 in 2022, and Wood’s unit ranked among the top 25 in the FBS in five statistical categories. Army finished 9-3 and led the nation in total defense in 2020 with Wood coaching inside linebackers and finished 9-4 with a top-20 ranking in total defense and rushing defense in 2021 when Wood was co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

Shiel Wood played receiver at Wofford from 2001-05. He would also get his start in coaching at the school as a wide receivers coach in 2007. Wood later took an interest in defense, switching to become the safeties coach for the school in 2011.

It will be interesting to see how he fits in with the Red Raiders next season, but he’s found success wherever he’s landed.