Texas Tech University Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Offensive Line Coach
Clay McGuire enters his third season back on the Texas Tech sidelines as the Red Raiders’ offensive line coach. This is McGuire’s third stint on the Texas Tech coaching staff and first overseeing the offensive line after coaching the position for more than 10 years overall.
McGuire previously served his alma mater in various roles from 2006-09, ultimately rising to special teams coordinator (2007-08) and running backs coach (2009) under the late Mike Leach before returning again in 2018 to be the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach for Kliff Kingsbury. He is believed to be only the second assistant coach in school history to serve three different stints on the Texas Tech coaching staff, joining the late Carlos Mainord.
Texas Tech has boasted one of the nation’s top offenses during each of McGuire’s first two seasons back at his alma mater, ranking in the top 10 for both scoring and total offense both years. The Red Raiders closed the 2024 season ranked fourth in the FBS for scoring at 37.6 points per game as well as ninth for both total offense a contest (462.7) and passing yards per game (296.7). It marked Texas Tech’s most points per game since its 2016 offense averaged 43.7 a contest behind quarterback Patrick Mahomes II.
The Red Raiders upped its scoring average to 39.4 points per game during their historic 2025 campaign, which propelled Texas Tech to its first Big 12 title in history and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. Texas Tech finished with a school record 12 wins, all that have came via at least 20 points as the Red Raiders ranked among the most-dominant teams in recent college football history. Texas Tech became only the fifth team in the Associated Press era (since 1936) to record 12 or more wins by 20-plus points in a season, while its eight Big 12 wins by that margin set a new league record.
Texas Tech has boasted a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last two seasons in Tahj Brooks and Cameron Dickey. Brooks became Texas Tech’s all-time leading rusher during the 2024 season after carving up defenses to the tune of more than 1,500 rushing yards to again rank among the national leaders. This despite relying on an offensive line that utilized six different starting combinations up front throughout the season due to injury.
McGuire was able to utilize the same starting lineup across all 14 games during the 2025 season, creating consistency up front that allowed Dickey to total 1,124 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. It marked the first time in school history two different players rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. The Red Raiders rushed for 2,560 rushing yards as a team behind Dickey and teammate J’Koby Williams, the most since Texas Tech joined the Big 12 Conference in 1996.
Caleb Rogers was one consistent mainstay in McGuire’s 2024 starting rotation as he earned honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades after starting at both guard and tackle as needed. His flexibility and athleticism paid dividends as Rogers was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, marking the first time a Texas Tech offensive lineman had heard his name called in the first three rounds since Le’Raven Clark did so in 2016 by the Indianapolis Colts.
Texas Tech had two All-Big 12 third team selections along the offensive line during the 2025 season in left tackle Howard Sampson and center Sheridan Wilson. Sampson was also named to the All-Big 12 Team by Pro Football Focus, which uses its grading analytics when making its selection. Davion Carter and Jacob Ponton also earned honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades with Ponton also earning Freshman All-America honors by The Athletic after an impressive debut at right tackle.
McGuire (no relation to Joey McGuire) returned to Texas Tech following two seasons as the offensive line coach at Washington State, his second stint with the Cougars after serving in a similar capacity for six years under Mike Leach from 2012-17. Washington State transformed into one of the most-dominating offenses in the country under Leach as the Cougars averaged more than 30 points per game in each of McGuire’s last five seasons. The Cougars played in five bowl games over his eight combined seasons in Pullman as McGuire has been part of 10 bowl teams during his coaching career.
Part of the Cougars’ success stemmed from the offensive line as McGuire recruited and coached several All-Pac 12 selections, including Joe Dahl, one of the top offensive linemen in Washington State history. Dahl, who transferred to Washington State soon after McGuire’s hire in 2012, earned second team All-America honors by USA Today as a senior in 2015 to go along with All-Pac 12 first team accolades. Dahl was later selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, marking the first time a Washington State offensive lineman has been chosen since 2001. In addition, he was the highest Cougar offensive lineman taken since 1997.
McGuire sent another Cougar to the NFL ranks following the 2017 season as Cole Madison, a three-time All-Pac 12 honoree, heard his name called in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. The 2017 season also closed the career of another McGuire protégé in two-time All-America selection Cody O’Connell, who became only the second unanimous All-American in Washington State history in 2016 and was the school’s first Outland Trophy finalist.
O’Connell was a consensus All-American in 2017 after closing his career by earning first-team accolades from the Walter Camp Foundation and The Sporting News. He was the first Cougar to earn first team All-America honors in consecutive seasons since running back Rueben Mayes in 1984-85 and the first offensive lineman ever to do so.
In addition, McGuire also mentored Andre Dillard, the No. 22 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, as well as four-time All-Pac 12 selection Abe Lucas while with the Cougars. Dillard was the first Cougar offensive lineman in school history to be selected in the first round as his selection marked the third time in a four-year stretch one of McGuire’s pupils entered the NFL via the draft. He started in 39 games at left tackle under McGuire, earning third team All-America honors as a senior in 2018 after allowing only one sack and 13 total pressures in 722 pass-blocking snaps.
In addition to his time at Washington State, McGuire has also mentored successful offensive lines recently at both Texas State (2019-20) and USC (2021). Those two stints followed his one season back on the Texas Tech staff where the Red Raiders averaged an impressive 37.3 points per game and 485.2 yards of total offense during the 2018 season.
McGuire, a four-year letterwinner as a blocking back for the Red Raiders from 2001-04, earned his first full-time assistant position five games into the 2007 season as he took over special teams duties, a role he earned on a permanent basis in 2008. Texas Tech opponents averaged just 6.7 yards per punt return once McGuire took over, while the kickoff coverage unit ranked second in the Big 12 in fewest return yards allowed.
Following his stint in Lubbock, McGuire joined Ruffin McNeil’s staff at East Carolina where he helped reshape the Pirate’s offense into one of the most explosive units in the country. East Carolina averaged 36.8 points per game in McGuire’s first season alone as running back Jon Williams totaled 847 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. The Pirates were also drastically improved on special teams in 2010 as East Carolina ranked among the top-35 schools nationally in punt return average (30th), punt coverage(31st) and kickoff coverage (29th).
McGuire previously starred at quarterback and defensive end at Crane High School prior to becoming the first high school prospect to commit to the Red Raiders during the Leach era. He has two degrees from Texas Tech as he earned his bachelor’s in history in 2004 and his master’s in secondary education in 2007. His older brother, Cody, also played for the Red Raiders from 1994-97 under legendary head coach Spike Dykes.
McGuire and his wife, Jeri, are the parents of two daughters, Jorja and Addison. Jorja McGuire will be a freshman volleyball student-athlete beginning this fall at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
CLAY MCGUIRE COACHING HISTORY
2024-present – Texas Tech Assistant Coach (Offensive Line)
2022-23 – Washington State Assistant Coach (Offensive Line)
2021 – USC Assistant Coach (Offensive Line)
2019-20 – Texas State Assistant Coach (Offensive Line)
2018 – Texas Tech Co-Offensive Coordinator (Running Backs)
2012-17 – Washington State Assistant Coach (Offensive Line)
2010-11 – East Carolina Assistant Coach (Running Backs/Special Teams)
2009 – Texas Tech Assistant Coach (Running Backs)
2007-08 – Texas Tech Assistant Coach (Special Teams)
2007 – Texas Tech Graduate Assistant (Offensive)
2006 – Texas Tech Video Intern
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS (1): 2025 Big 12 Conference (Texas Tech).
BOWL GAMES AS A COACH (12): 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl (Texas Tech); 2024 AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Texas Tech): 2022 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl (Washington State); 2017 Holiday Bowl (Washington State); 2016 Holiday Bowl (Washington State); 2015 Sun Bowl (Washington State); 2013 New Mexico Bowl (Washington State); 2010 Liberty Bowl (East Carolina); 2009 Alamo Bowl (Texas Tech); 2008 Cotton Bowl (Texas Tech); 2007 Gator Bowl (Texas Tech); 2006 Insight Bowl (Texas Tech).
