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Texas Tech football announces firing of defensive coaches Tim DeRuyter, Marcel Yates
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- Texas Tech football announces firing of defensive coaches Tim DeRuyter, Marcel Yates
The Texas Tech football team announced Sunday that defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter and defensive passing game coordinator/secondary coach Marcel Yates have been fired. Both changes are effective immediately.
"I appreciate the work Coach DeRuyter and Coach Yates have provided our program the past three seasons," head coach Joey McGuire said in the news release. "This was a difficult but necessary decision as we continue to elevate this program to competing annually at the highest levels of college football."
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The Red Raiders wrapped the regular season Saturday with a 52-15 thumping of West Virginia, improving to 8-4 overall and 6-3 in Big 12 play, one game out of first place. Texas Tech's defense made strides in DeRuyter's first two years leading the unit but took a major step back in 2024.
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Through the regular season, Texas Tech ranks second-to-last (132nd out of 133) in passing defense, giving up 305.3 yards per game, which is a program worst since the 2019 season.
Texas Tech's scoring defense (34.5 points allowed per game) is the worst since 2020 and second-worst since 2016. The Red Raiders are also 123rd nationally in total defense, surrendering 451.9 yards per game, which is the most since 2019. During the 2023 season, Tech allowed 26.0 points per game, which was the best mark for the program since 2009.
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The Red Raiders had a strong defensive showing against West Virginia in the regular-season finale, holding the Mountaineers well below their season average in yards rushing, though it was too late for DeRuyter to save his job.
"... It's almost crazy that you can win eight games and have some of the stats that we had," McGuire said after Saturday's win over West Virginia.
Texas Tech defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter gestures during a drill during football practice, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, at the Sports Performance Center.
DeRuyter, Yates and other Tech assistants brought in by McGuire signed multi-year extensions that came with a pay raise after the team's successful finish to the 2022 season.
The extensions signed by both DeRuyter and Yates each ran through the 2025 season and were set to expire Jan. 31, 2026. By being fired without cause, both DeRuyter and Yates are owed 70% of their remaining salary, to be paid in monthly installments and offset by any earnings they may accumulate if hired elsewhere.
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DeRuyter was scheduled to make $1.05 million for the 2024 season and $1.1 million for the 2025 campaign. This puts DeRuyter's buyout roughly in the $850,000 range. Yates was scheduled to make $600,000 during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, making his buyout around $470,000.
According to the release, Texas Tech will announce coaching assignments for the up-coming bowl game at a later date. Wednesday is the first day of the early signing period and the winter transfer portal window opens Dec. 9.
Texas Tech's passing games coordinator Marcel Yates gives instructions during football practice, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, at the Sports Performance Center.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football fires DC Tim DeRuyter, secondary coach Marcel Yates
