Texas Tech is officially entering spring football as preparations ramp up for the 2026 college football season, which is just 176 days away. Following their inaugural appearance in the College Football Playoff, the Red Raiders are set to defend their Big 12 championship title this upcoming fall.
After a successful 2025 season, the Red Raiders face significant adjustments due to the departure of key defensive players. The defense played a pivotal role in the team”s achievements last season, leading the nation and the Big 12 in various statistical categories, thanks to standout athletes such as senior linebacker David Bailey, senior defensive tackle Lee Hunter, and senior edge rusher Romello Height, among others, who are now poised to perform at the NFL level next fall. Their exits have created vital opportunities for the Texas Tech coaching staff to address during the offseason.
Head Coach Joey McGuire and his team have maintained a consistent approach to achieving success this offseason. The Red Raiders welcomed 21 transfers, focusing significantly on enhancing their defensive line with another impressive group of new talent. In his initial press conference to launch spring practice on Thursday, McGuire expressed enthusiasm about the new defensive linemen joining the team.
“One of the biggest things we tried to do is where we lost NFL players, we replaced them with NFL players,” McGuire stated. “We were very deliberate in that when you lose somebody of that caliber, we have to replace them with somebody of that caliber if you”re going to do it via the transfer portal or you feel that you already have somebody like that on your team.”
Texas Tech added eight defensive linemen and two linebackers from the transfer portal to strengthen the unit under defensive coordinator Shiel Woods. Among the notable new arrivals are senior outside linebackers Adam Trick and Trey White, along with senior defensive lineman Mateen Ibirogba. Trick, who emerged as a full-time starter at Miami of Ohio, led the country with 73 pressures and tallied 8.5 sacks, earning first-team All-MAC honors. Meanwhile, White had an impressive tenure at San Diego State, where he garnered first-team All-Mountain West recognition with 19.5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss.
McGuire had high praise for both Trick and White, stating, “We lose David Bailey and Romello Height. You guys are going to fall in love with Adam Trick and Trey White. Just two elite humans that love football. They are extremely happy here.”
Ibirogba, one of the highly regarded defensive linemen in the portal, adds a dynamic ability to halt the run and can play across various positions on the line. After starting his collegiate career at the FCS level with Georgetown, he transferred to Wake Forest, where he redshirted in the 2024 season. Ibirogba made significant contributions this past season, posting 7.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles before entering the portal.
As spring practice unfolds, Ibirogba shared that witnessing the success of the Texas Tech defense last season played a crucial role in his decision to join the team. “For me, I believe it was very easy in the aspect of seeing myself being able to help out the team,” Ibirogba noted during Thursday”s press conference. “Using my abilities to see how I could improve at Texas Tech and become a better player.”
While it remains to be seen how effective the likes of Ibirogba, Trick, White, and others will be against opposing offenses this fall, the Texas Tech coaching staff has successfully reloaded and is building a formidable defensive front to assist the Red Raiders in their quest to defend their Big 12 title next season.
For more details, check out the full press conference featuring Texas Tech”s Joey McGuire.
