As Joey McGuire continues to build the Texas Tech program, the next step is to see a significant jump in the win column. The team was very competitive from the opening kick-off in 2022 and overachieved in year one. Unfortunately for McGuire, the team couldn’t live up to massive pre-season expectations in year two. On Friday, head coach McGuire officially brought on the biggest edition to his coaching staff for the 2024 season. Clay McGuire, the offensive line coach for Washington State the previous two seasons, was announced to take the same role with the Red Raiders for the 2024 season.
Who Is Clay McGuire?
To answer the most pressing question, Clay is not brother/cousin/has any familial relations to Joey. The last two years as the Cougars’ offensive line coach was his second stint at Washington State. Before his latest stint under Jake Dickert, McGuire previously coached the Cougars’ offensive line under the late Mike Leach from 2012-2017. McGuire has had multiple stops in his recent coaching career. McGuire came to Washington State from USC, where he coached the Trojans’ offensive line in 2021. His Trojan offensive line allowed the third-fewest sacks in the Pac-12 in his lone season in Los Angeles.
Before that, McGuire was the offensive coordinator and running backs coach under Kliff Kingsbury at Texas Tech in 2018. He left Lubbock for San Marcos as the Texas State offensive line coach from 2019-2020. In addition to having coached multiple times at Texas Tech, McGuire is a Texas native who played for the Red Raiders from 2001-2004. McGuire replaces Stephen Hamby, who was fired last week.
What Is McGuire’s Number One Priority?
This is very simple; get the offensive line to protect the quarterback. Texas Tech has been forced to play with two and three starting quarterbacks in a season since 2016. Quarterback Behren Morton is poised to take full control of the offense, but has significant injuries in his playing career. McGuire’s challenge is only more difficult considering he is working with an offensive line that hasn’t taken any snaps together as a collective unit. Only one member is returning from last season’s starting offensive line in Caleb Rogers. In addition, Rodgers is moving to center from right tackle meaning there will be no returnees in the same position from the 2023 season. McGuire’s most recent season doesn’t strike a ton of confidence that things will change in the passing game.
Last fall, the Cougars’ offensive line surrendered 16 sacks, third most in the Pac-12. According to PFF, the Cougars allowed 91 pressures, which was second most in the conference. Another concerning reason for the Red Raiders is the Cougars had major problems run-blocking. They came in second-to-last in run-blocking, finishing with a grade of 51.0. That figure ranked No. 116 of 133 FBS teams. Sure, All-Big 12 running back Tahj Brooks the nation in 2023 with 96 forced missed tackles and finished fourth in the country in yards after contact. But the offense can take bigger strides if Brooks isn’t constantly having to create on his own.
Has Full Endorsement From Joey
McGuire’s last season did not have great numbers for the offensive line. Joey knows how much the offensive line has struggled in his two seasons, so he must get this hire right. But Clay has multiple stops that did see high-performing units both in the passing and running game. The head coach had this to say about his new offensive line coach, “From the onset, I was impressed by his knowledge of this offense as well as his proven ability to build and develop stronger offensive lines over an extended period. He will only add to the culture we have established within the football program.”
