Red Raiders DC Shiel Wood Recognized as Broyles Award Finalist

Texas Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood has officially arrived in the national spotlight. The Red Raiders' star assistant has been named one of five finalists for the prestigious Broyles Award, which honors the nation’s top assistant coach every year.

Texas Tech's Shiel Wood’s Breakout Moment on the National Stage

Wood’s nomination comes after a complete defensive revival in Lubbock, Texas, that unfolded in less than a year. In 2024, Texas Tech was giving up 34.8 points and 460.2 yards per game. This season, the unit is leading the way in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl.

Defensive Coordinator Shiel Wood is a Broyles Award FINALIST 👏 pic.twitter.com/T33YM0XoK9
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 9, 2025

The Red Raiders are allowing just 10.9 points and 254.4 yards per game. The finalists joining Wood include Bryant Haines from Indiana, Matt Patricia from Ohio State, Corey Hetherman from Miami (FL), and Mike Bobo from Georgia.

The defensive numbers behind Wood’s nomination are jaw-dropping. Texas Tech owns the No. 1 FBS rush defense, giving up only 68.5 rushing yards per game. That mark is on pace to become the best for the program since 1950.

The front seven has been the backbone of this dominance. It was led by All-Big 12 defensive linemen Lee Hunter and A.J. Holmes Jr., outside linebackers David Bailey and Romello Height, and inside linebackers Jacob Rodriguez, Ben Roberts, and John Curry.

Texas Tech leads the entire FBS with 31 takeaways. The team fuelled a defensive frenzy that has helped them hold opponents to single digits in five of their past six games. Their 34-7 win over BYU in the Big 12 Championship pushed them to a program-record 12 wins (12-1). As for Texas Tech’s postseason, they will meet either No. 5 Oregon or No. 12 James Madison in the Orange Bowl.

Remarkably, Texas Tech is the only team in the country ranked in the top five in scoring defense, total defense, scoring offense, and total offense. The team is just showing how seamlessly Wood’s defense works alongside new offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich.

Texas Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood leads a drill during spring football practice, Monday, March 10, 2025, at the Womble Football Center. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A Career Defined by Turning Teams Around

Wood’s rise is built on 15 years of Division I experience and a proven record of immediate improvement. Since taking the defensive coordinator role at Army in 2021, every defense he has led at Army, Troy, Tulane, and Houston has finished inside the top 35 nationally.

His success includes a 12-win season and Sun Belt championship at Troy in 2022, an 11-win season and an American championship appearance at Tulane in 2023, and a scoring-defense jump at Houston in 2024. With the Cougars, he cut the average from 31.5 to 22.9 points per game.

Turnovers have always been his specialty. Over the previous four years, Wood’s defenses have averaged 22.3 takeaways per season, with Troy and Tulane both ranking in the top 10 nationally during his tenure. He has coached 11 first-team All-Conference players, including Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year Carlton Martial; he also broke the NCAA career tackles record under Wood.

The Spartanburg, S.C., native began his coaching journey at Wofford. He starred as a wide receiver from 2001 to 2005. Wood will learn his Broyles Award fate on Feb. 12 during the 30th annual ceremony in Hot Springs, Ark.

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