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Texas Tech football: Why Matt Wells’ first staff is far better than Kliff Kingsbury’s

By Matthew Conner

STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 22: Running back Demarcus Felton #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates a touchdown on a 17-yard gain up the middle with his team against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the fourth quarter on September 22, 2018 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 22: Running back Demarcus Felton #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates a touchdown on a 17-yard gain up the middle with his team against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the fourth quarter on September 22, 2018 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Defensive Coordinator: Keith Patterson vs. Matt Wallersteadt

If you’ve spent much time on this site in the past few months, you know I’ve made no bones about the fact that I am not impressed with the resume of new DC Keith Patterson.  That’s because he has yet to field a defense at a Power 5 program that is appreciably better than the defenses we’ve seen the Red Raiders field during the last six years.

Still, he has to have the edge over Kingsbury’s initial DC choice, Matt Wallersteadt.  Patterson has at least coordinated a Power 5 defense before whereas Wallersteadt came to Tech having been the DC at Air Force, Wyoming, and North Alabama.

Tech’s new DC has had some success as a major college defensive coordinator.  In 2011, his defense at Pittsburgh was ranked No. 45 nationally in total defense.  And last year, his Utah State defense led the country in interceptions (22) and three-and-outs forced (5.7 per game), while ranking third in defensive touchdowns (6), 16th in third-down conversion defense (33.0 percent), 19th in passing efficiency defense (113.76), 21st in fourth-down conversion defense (41.9 percent) and 33rd in scoring defense (22.2 points per game) according to his Texas Tech bio.

Meanwhile, Wallersteadt came to Tech from Texas A&M where he had coached linebackers in 2012 while working with Kingsbury on Kevin Sumlin’s staff.   Prior to that, he coordinated an Air Force defense that finished 31st in 2010 and 61st in 2011.  But while those numbers might seem impressive, remember that the Falcons’ defensive stats are aided significantly by their triple-option offense which shortens games and limits the number of possessions their opponents have.

But what will ultimately give Patterson the edge over Wallersteadt is that it seems rather unlikely that he will be fired in the middle of his second season for allegedly showing up to work inebriated as was Wallersteadt three games into the 2014 season.  What’s more, Wally’s reputation in Lubbock took another hit when he allegedly gave other programs Tech’s defensive hand signals later that season.

While Patterson’s body of work as a defensive coordinator is not all that inspiring, it is stronger than Wallersteadt’s.  But more importantly, there’s every reason to believe that he will be in Lubbock longer than one season and three games and that he will prove to be a man of much higher character.

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