Football
- Title:
- Offensive Line
Lee Hays enters his fourth season as Texas Tech’s offensive line coach where he has built one of the top units in the country.
Hays has helped head coach Kliff Kingsbury guide one of the nation’s top offenses since joining his staff as a charter member in the spring of 2013. This is Hays’ second time working with Kingsbury after the two were part of Kevin Sumlin’s staff at Houston in 2010.
During that time, Tech has annually boasted one of the top offenses in the country as the Red Raiders have ranked among the top 10 in total offense in all three seasons. Tech concluded the 2015 campaign ranked second nationally in not only total offense as well as scoring offense and passing offense.
Part of that success has resulted from the play up front as Tech has transformed into a balanced attack behind strong run blocking and a dominant pass protection. Tech has averaged over 30 points and 500 yards of total offense per game in each of Hays’ three seasons.
In just Hays’ second season in 2014, the offensive line was arguably the most improved unit on the team. Hays’ group allowed just 13 sacks in 12 games which ranked second in the Big 12 and tied for 12th nationally.
In addition, Tech boasted its first 1,000 yard rusher since 1999 as DeAndre Washington totaled 1,103 yards on the ground. Washington followed with 1,492 rushing yards in 2015, which ranks fifth all-time in Tech single-season history.
The Red Raider offensive line was bolstered by its mainstay on the left side, Le’Raven Clark. A consensus first team All-Big 12 selection in both 2014 and 2015, Clark was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. Clark was a second team All-America honoree by CBS Sports.
Clark was the third player under Hays to hear his name called during the NFL Draft. Widely respected for his work along the offensive line, Hays has coached six All-Americans, 28 first team All-Conference players, three conference Offensive Linemen of the Year award winners and one Rimington Award winner. His coaching tenure has also helped produce five conference championship teams and six NCAA Division II playoff entrants.
Hays joined Kingsbury’s staff after completing his second coaching stop at the University of Houston where he served as offensive line coach in 2012. He was previously the assistant offensive line coach with the Cougars in 2010.
In between his stops at Houston, Hays enjoyed a successful season as the offensive coordinator at Tarleton State in 2011. Hays has also served as an offensive coordinator at both Baylor (2006-07) and West Texas A&M (2003-05). At each of those stops his programs annually produced some of college football’s top offensive outputs, running the highly-successful “Air Raid”, which is similar to the current Texas Tech offense.
Tarleton State averaged 32.1 points and nearly 400 yards of offense per game (391.9) during Hays’ one season guiding the offense. Tarleton was one of the most improved teams in NCAA Division II, doubling its win total from 3-8 in 2010 to 6-5 in 2011. The offensive output was also a huge benefactor of Hays’ experience. Tarleton averaged just 21.5 points per game the year before his arrival.
Baylor averaged 23.6 points per game during Hays’ two seasons, the school’s best mark since 1996. The spread attack also allowed Baylor to break almost every school single-game and season passing record. The Bears ranked third in the Big 12 and No. 11 nationally in passing yards per game (275.0).
Hays made the transition to Baylor after developing the high-octane spread offense at West Texas A&M. The Buffaloes enjoyed their most successful season in 55 years in 2005, largely due to the success of Hays’ offensive creativity utilizing the Air Raid attack.
The Buffaloes went 10-2 in 2005 to record their first winning season since 1998 (the program had won a combined seven games the previous four years) and post the school’s first 10-win campaign since 1950. Along the way, WTAMU won the Lone Star Conference title with an 8-1 record, its first league championship since 1986, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time in school history where it lost in the quarterfinals.
The 2005 Buffalo offense led the NCAA Division II ranks in passing offense at 363.8 yards per game, while ranking No. 7 in scoring offense (40.3 ppg) and No. 9 in total offense (477.3 ypg). His 2005 offense set school records for completion percentage (.669) and total yards per attempt (6.9 ypa).
Hays’ background includes a near-decade stint with the United State Marine Corps’ 4th Reconnaissance Battalion (1987-96). He rose to the rank of staff sergeant and complete the Marine Corps’ sniper school. He served as a staff noncommissioned officer and as a recon marine during his military career.
Before he entered the Marines, Hays played defensive end and linebacker at Cisco Junior College for two years, then spent one year at Abilene Christian. He then returned to football and earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996 and his master’s degree from West Texas A&M University in 2004.
Hays and his wife, Roxanne, have a daughter, Shanlee, and a son, Cade.
COACHING HISTORY
2013-Present: Texas Tech Assistant Coach (offensive line)
2012: Houston Assistant Coach (offensive line)
2011: Tarleton State Offensive Coordinator
2010: Houston Assistant Coach (assistant offensive line)
2007: Baylor Offensive Coordinator (quarterbacks)
2006: Baylor Offensive Coordinator
2003-05: West Texas A&M Offensive Coordinator (offensive line)
2001-02: Texas A&M-Kingsville Assistant Coach (offensive line)
2000: Texas A&M-Kingsville Assistant Coach (defensive line/recruiting coordinator)
1999: West Texas A&M Assistant Coach (offensive line)
1997-98: Texas A&M-Kingsville Assistant Coach (tight ends/tackles)
