The Texas Tech football coaching staff had another shakeup this offseason. This time it was a current assistant coach receiving a promotion. On Monday the program announced tight ends coach Josh Cochran would be promoted to run game coordinator in addition to his current position as tight ends coach.
🆕 Year, 🆕 Title@CoachCochranTTU has been promoted to Run Game Coordinator! #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/uPCAxNa4oe
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) February 19, 2024
Cochran has been a part of the Tech coaching staff since Joey McGuire took over and will enter his third season next year as an assistant. Cochran actually has experience being a run game coordinator before. His first college coaching gig was at East Texas Baptist as run game coordinator and offensive line coach in 2016. After breaking into the college ranks that year he made stops at Baylor, North Carolina, and Austin Peay before McGuire brought him to Tech in 2022.
As tight ends coach in his first two seasons at Tech, Cochran has coached arguably the program's most talented group at the position in a while. Baylor Cupp, Mason Tharp, and Henry Teeter have been critical components of the offense the past two years. Their run blocking also helped pave the way for Tahj Brooks to rush for over 1,500 yards last season.
With Cochran taking the helm also as run game coordinator the move makes sense. For a program that has been widely regarded as a pass-happy school, last season proved the Red Raiders can rely heavily on the running game to win. With Brooks returning for one more season, this seems like a great move to help build on the success of the running game in 2023.
With Cupp and Teeter departing, Cochran will look to Tharp as well as newcomers Jalin Conyers and Johncarlos Miller II to continue the success at tight end in the passing game as well as now blocking in the running game. With a new title next to his name, Cochran will be more involved with helping McGuire and offensive coordinator Zach Kittley devise more blocking schemes for Brooks.
With the promotion of Cochran, Texas Tech's coaching staff for 2024 seems to be firmly in place. Last week the program announced the hiring of Clay McGuire to be the team's new offensive line coach after Stephen Hamby departed. Clay is another coach Cochran will have to work closely with when it comes to being the run game coordinator given that a successful running game depends largely on the offensive line.