The Texas Tech football program has hired Paul Randolph as its defensive line coach brining Matt Wells’ initial staff closer to completion.
Wednesday, it was reported that the Texas Tech football team has added Memphis’ defensive line coach Paul Randolph to Matt Wells’ coaching staff in the same capacity. Randolph has ties to new defensive coordinator Keith Patterson having coached with him at Arizona State, Pittsburgh and Tulsa.
In 2018, he was part of a Memphis defense that recorded 37 sacks, tied for 19th-most in the nation. The Tigers were led in sacks by outside linebacker Bryce Huff’s 9.5 sacks but defensive linemen Joseph Dorcus and Jonathan Wilson each registered six while John Tate added four.
But it was at Arizona State where he had his best run with five of his defensive linemen earning all conference honors with four being drafted by NFL teams. Certainly, Randolph has a respectable resume as a collegiate coach but some Texas Tech fans will wonder if Wells would have been better served to bing in a successful high school coach to help a staff with limited Texas ties on the recruiting trail.
However, according to 247Sports.com Randolph has been able to hold his own on the recruiting trail. While at Arizona State, he landed two 4-star prospects in the 2013 class including outside linebacker DJ Calhoun who recorded 19.5 sacks and 164 tackles in four seasons in Tempe.
Next year, Randolph will have his work cut out for him. Tech returns linemen Eli Howard, Joseph Wallace and Broderick Washington who combined for just 7.5 sacks.
But at defensive end, he will have to figure out how to get something out of senior Lonzell Gilmore who has just 2.0 sacks in three years despite being one of the most physically gifted athletes on the roster at 6-foot-3, 280-pounds.
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He must also help redshirt sophomore Nelson Mbanasor become a factor. The former 3-star prospect announced his intention to transfer in November but after meeting with Wells he decided to remain a Red Raider. He has displayed enough potential in his time on campus to earn rave reviews from the previous coaching staff but he registered only nine tackles in six games this season.
Texas Tech has struggled for years to field a consistent pass rush. In 2018, Tech’s 28 sacks were its most since 2009 when the Red Raiders racked up 40 and ten more than in 2017. But Tech must replace its top two leading pass rushers in Kolin Hill and Tony Jones who combined for 9 sacks.
As for stopping the run, Tech was respectable ranking No. 61 in the nation allowing 160.5 yards per game. The return of Washington and Wallace should give Randolph a solid run-stopping duo up front which is far more than most defensive line coaches in recent program history have had to work with.
Wells now has all but two positions on his initial staff filled. He is still expected to add a special teams coordinator and one more assistant on the defensive side of the football.