Texas Tech University Athletics
Greene chosen to AFCA 35 Under 35 Leadership Institute
December 08, 2025 | Football
First-year safeties coach has helped push the Red Raiders to the College Football Playoff for the first time
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech safeties coach Rob Greene was selected Monday to the AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, one of college football's prestigious programs designed to identify and develop future leaders in the coaching profession.
Greene has been invited to attend a one-day institute that features a curriculum of interactive lectures focused on topics specifically tailored to emphasize leadership in the coaching profession. The day-long session, which is hosted during the annual AFCA Convention, also includes sessions on ethics, influential responsibilities, career progression and family balance.
To be eligible, applicants must be 35 years old or younger on Jan. 1 of that year's convention and must be currently serving as a high school head coach, a two-year college full-time assistant or head coach or an NAIA/NCAA (all divisions) full-time assistant or head coach. Applicants were required to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or a 10-minute live instructional video on an offensive, defensive, special teams or position-specific topic of the applicant's choosing back in the summer.Â
In only his first season, Greene has been an important part of Texas Tech's defensive improvements under coordinator Shiel Wood. The Red Raiders are among the nation's top defenses as the FBS leader for both rushing defense (68.5 yards allowed per game) and takeaways (31) to go along with a top-five ranking for both scoring defense (10.9 points allowed per game) and total defense (254.4 yards allowed per game).
In the secondary, the Red Raiders are giving up only 185.9 yards a game through the air, cutting down from 308.1 yards per contest in the year prior to Greene's arrival. That average is currently on pace to be Texas Tech's lowest since the Red Raiders surrendered only 182.4 passing yards a game in 2006. Texas Tech is already the nation's most-improved defense in regards to scoring, going from 34.8 points allowed last season to only 10.9 this season.
Texas Tech's defensive improvements have pushed the Red Raiders to possibly their best season in school history. The Red Raiders are currently 12-1 on the season heading into their first College Football Playoff appearance at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Texas Tech enters the CFP having limited five of its last six opponents to single digits for points, with the most-recent occurrence being a 34-7 victory this past Saturday over BYU in the Edward Jones Big 12 Championship. It marked the first Big 12 title in school history for the Red Raiders, who will face the winner of No. 5 Oregon and No. 12 seed James Madison in the Orange Bowl.
Kickoff for the Orange Bowl is slated for 11 a.m. on Jan. 1 from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Coverage will be provided on ESPN and the Texas Tech Sports Network.
