Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Names Setencich Defensive Coordinator
February 25, 2003 | Football
Feb. 25, 2003
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech head football coach Mike Leach announced today the hiring of collegiate coaching veteran Lyle Setencich as Defensive Coordinator for the Red Raiders.
Setencich, who comes to Lubbock from the University of California, begins his second tour of duty with Leach. While the head coach at Cal Poly SLO in 1987, Setencich hired Leach as his offensive line coach and gave the current Red Raider head coach his first collegiate coaching position.
"We have one of America's premier defensive coordinators in Lyle Setencich," Leach said. "We are excited to have him with the Red Raiders. He will make a great addition to our program."
Setencich arrived in Berkeley in 1997 and quickly made his presence felt. His resurrection of the Cal defense was well chronicled, as the Bears went from 10th in the league in total defense the season prior to his arrival to eighth in 1997, third in the second year, and finally the top spot in 1999. The 2000 group led the Pac-10 in sacks with 44 and finished third in rushing defense.
Setencich began coaching as an assistant at Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, Calif. He was head coach at both Albany (Calif.) High School and San Ramon (Calif.) High School before moving to the collegiate level as the defensive coordinator at Boise State in 1979.
In 1980, Boise State won the Division I-AA National Championship and the following year, Setencich was named head coach. While serving in that capacity from 1983-86, the Broncos posted a 24-20 record. He moved back to California to take over the Cal Poly SLO program and served as its head coach for seven seasons, compiling a 41-29-2 record from 1987-93.
Setencich served as defensive coordinator at the University of the Pacific in 1994, helping the Tigers to a 6-5 record, the best mark at the school in 17 years. After one season at UoP, he joined the Arizona State coaching staff as linebacker coach. His influence was felt in dramatic fashion in 1996, when the Sun Devils were ranked first in the Pac-10 in total defense (304.7 ypg) after finishing last in 1995.
Setencich was a two-year letterman at Fresno State from 1966-68 and graduated with a degree in biological sciences in 1969. He spent one year in the Army Medical Corps before beginning his coaching career.
"I'm very happy to be at Texas Tech," Setencich said. "We're currently getting in the process of evaluating players and will know more about our situation at the end of spring practice.
"I have done many things in the past that are similar to what has been done here," Setencich added. "I will combine some of the things with some of things that have been done here. We hope to mesh those together."
In other coaching news, Leach elevated Ruffin McNeill from linebacker coach to Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator. McNeill also will serve as a defensive assistant.
