Texas Tech’s Football Staff is Full Of Bright Young Minds
A spotlight is on Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley and tight ends coach Josh Cochran who were both selected for the 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute hosted by the American Football Coaches Association.
Texas Tech and Michigan were the only two schools with multiple coaches honored on the list of participants that covers coaches from every level of football from high school to the NFL.
Kittley and Cochran were both first-year coaches that joined the Texas Tech staff with Joey McGuire. Of course, Kittley returns to the Red Raiders after time on Kliff Kingsbury's staff, but this is his first time as a coordinator at the power five level. It's also Cochran's first job on a power five level beyond being a grad assistant and offensive quality control coach at Baylor back in 2017-19.
The AFCA aims this prestigious honor at future leaders in the football coaching profession.
To be selected, both Kittley and Cochran had to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or five-minute live instructional video on an offensive, defensive, special teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant's choosing this past summer.
I would love to watch Kittley work a whiteboard and explain the offense. Or Cochran talking about blocking schemes.
Texas Tech's offense was a big reason the team finished 7-5 overall and 5-4 in Big 12 play. The Red Raiders averaged 33.6 points per game as well as a Big 12-leading 307.0 passing yards a contest. Those numbers will only improve as Texas Tech gets more consistent play from the quarterback position and recruits more athletes on the outside and at the offensive line.
Kittley and Cochran get the shine here, but there are plenty of other young coaches on this staff who have great futures. Not under 35, but Emmett Jones is widely regarded amongst college football leaders as a great coach. I could list all of the young coaches, but it's more appropriate to just say most of the staff is both young and getting better every day.
There is also a great group of grad assistants like Jah'Shawn Johnson and James Lockhart. Both are former Big 12 players in their own right.