Texas Tech University Athletics
McBath promoted to Texas Tech’s cornerbacks coach
January 06, 2025 | Football
Darcel McBath will oversee Texas Tech’s cornerbacks after serving as an analyst this past season
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire announced Monday the promotion of defensive analyst Darcel McBath to cornerbacks coach. The move coincides with McGuire's decision to split the defensive backs room between two position coaches as Rob Greene was tabbed as Texas Tech's safeties coach this past Friday.
"I've been impressed with Coach McBath since his arrival on our staff this past season," McGuire said. "He has a proven track record of developing several NFL-caliber corners in his career and will be a great asset to our entire defensive staff as we move forward. Coach McBath has a passion for this football program, and we're excited to see him continue to excel in this new position."
One of the top defensive backs in school history, McBath returned to his alma mater this past August in an analyst role where he provided advanced scouting of future opponents on both sides of the ball. He was later elevated to cornerbacks coach during Texas Tech's preparations for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
A longtime assistant under the late Mike Leach, McBath previously spent four seasons as the cornerbacks coach at Mississippi State (2020-23) and two additional years in a similar capacity at Washington State (2018-19). He began his coaching career as a quality control assistant at North Texas in 2016 before moving to Washington State in the same role the following season.
Mississippi State boasted two of its top cornerbacks in its history under McBath as he mentored both Martin Emerson, a third-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, and Emmanuel Forbes, the No. 16 overall selection of the 2023 NFL Draft. Forbes, a consensus All-America selection as a senior in 2022, ranked third in the country that season with six interceptions and set the NCAA FBS record after returning his sixth career interception for a touchdown.
Forbes matched the Mississippi State single-season record with his six interceptions in 2022 en route to helping lead the Bulldogs to a 9-4 overall record and victory in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Forbes ended his Mississippi State career with 14 career interceptions, which ranked fourth all-time in program history. He also set the Mississippi State single-season and career interception return yardage marks on his way to becoming the first Bulldog cornerback to hear his name called in the draft's opening round since Walt Harris in 1996.
Washington State recorded its best season in school history during McBath's first season in a full-time coaching position as the Cougars were 11-2 in 2018 following a victory over Iowa State in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Washington State combined for 26 victories and three bowl appearances over his three seasons on staff, matching its second-highest win total over a three-year span in school history. The Cougars' 11 wins in 2018, meanwhile, marked the most in program history.
The Cougars allowed only 23.3 points per game in 2018 thanks in part to 23 takeaways, which ranked second in the Pac-12 and 28th nationally. That scoring average was Washington State's lowest in a season since 2003 and ranked ninth overall in program history at the time. McBath assumed co-interim defensive coordinator duties early in the 2019 season where he helped lead a unit that was fifth in the Pac-12 for takeaways (19) and tied for second for fumble recoveries (9).
A native of Gainesville, Texas, McBath was a four-year letterman at defensive back for the Red Raiders from 2004-08. McBath earned All-Big 12 first team honors as a senior in 2008 after leading the nation with seven interceptions as part of one of the top Texas Tech teams in program history. The Red Raiders finished 11-2 that season, rising as high as No. 2 in the polls following 10-consecutive wins to start the season, including over top-ranked Texas.
McBath remains one of the school's all-time leaders in career interceptions after picking off 12 passes over his four-year career, which still ranks tied for fifth in Texas Tech history. His seven interceptions from the 2008 season are ranked tied for sixth on the single-season chart. McBath also shares two school records for the most single-game interceptions with three in the 2008 victory at Kansas as well as single-season interceptions returned for a touchdown as he found the end zone twice via pick-sixes that same year.
Following his collegiate career, McBath played five seasons in the NFL after being selected in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. McBath spent two seasons with the Broncos before moving on for one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers where he was a member of the Super Bowl XLVII roster.
McBath earned his degree in general studies from Texas Tech in 2008. He and his wife, Malorie, were married in 2013 and are parents to two children, Ansleigh and Duke.
DARCEL MCBATH COACHING HISTORY
2024 – Texas Tech Analyst (Interim Cornerbacks)
2020-23 – Mississippi State Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks)
2019 – Washington State Interim Co-Defensive Coordinator (Cornerbacks)
2018 – Washington State Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks)
2017 – Washington State Defensive Quality Control
2016 – North Texas Defensive Quality Control
