Texas Tech isn’t known for having a great defense. It’s just not something that most people associate with the Red Raiders football program given *checks notes* two decades or so where that side of the ball wasn’t a priority for coaches on numerous occasions.
Not that the Mike Leach era of Texas Tech football didn’t have some really solid, respectable defenses during it, but the emphasis was on the offense and the Red Raiders embraced that identity and ran with it for the longest time.
And then the wheels fell off after Leach left Lubbock.
Texas Tech just flat out had some truly awful defenses over the years and so many people just don’t believe that the Red Raiders can put together a competent group on that side of the ball. But that looks like it’s changing thanks to some major changes from this offseason.
The Red Raiders hired Shiel Wood away from the Houston Cougars and they also did some really intensive recruiting on the defensive side of the ball with the transfer portal.
So, that is apparently leading to folks like PFF’s Max Chadwick rankings the Texas Tech defense among the best in the country ahead of the 2025 college football season:
https://x.com/PFF_College/status/1945530177867718852
And people have opinions about that.
Texas Tech’s defense ranked among the best in the country and fans truly can’t believe it
Here’s how folks are reacting to these rankings:
Texas Tech a top 10 defense??
— Johnny Olden Jr. (@JohnnyOldenJr) July 17, 2025
The same Texas Tech team that allowed Colorado to come back from being down and whoop them. Yeah… that defense is not even close to top 10. Did they even make a bowl game?
— Operator Error (@OperatorError94) July 20, 2025
Texas Tech was 122nd in defense in 2024. Roster upgrade yes. But to vault to Top 10? Hard to see it. Would be historic. Probably a Top 50 D.
— Mark B. Leita (@MarkLeita) July 16, 2025
Yeah, it would be pretty stunning to see a top 10 defense in Lubbock. That’s just hard to imagine given Texas Tech’s track records and the way that defense performed in recent years. But a lot has changed on that side of the ball for the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech Frauds
— J STFU (@oompaaloopma) July 16, 2025
Texas Tech and Texas A&M on this list but Michigan isn’t… idk about that.
— Nate (@natedogg4990) July 16, 2025
I mean, folks are really going to have a hard time believing that it’s possible until they actually see that sort of defense at Texas Tech.
— 🦅 Brian Cutchen 🦅🌵🏴☠️ (@briancutchen1) July 16, 2025
Of course, Texas Tech fans are enjoying this one.
We’ll see how it all plays out for the Red Raiders this year. I don’t know that this defense will be in the top 10, but I do think we’ll see some considerable improvements and that could yield something like a top 25 or top 30 defense. And if you pair that with a top 10 to top 15 offense, then you’ll see a really impressive team in Lubbock this season.