Texas Tech University Athletics
Football
Rob Greene
- Title:
- Co-Defensive Coordinator / Safeties Coach
Rob Greene enters his second season as Texas Tech’s safeties coach after helping quickly reshape the Red Raider defense as one of the nation’s most-opportunistic defenses. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator following his debut season where the Red Raiders ranked as the nation’s leader in takeaways en route to a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff appearance.
Texas Tech transformed its defense with the arrival of both defensive coordinator Shiel Wood and Greene, posting the largest year-by-year improvement for both scoring (-23.0) and total yards allowed per game (-203.2) by any FBS program since 2000. Texas Tech ranked among the nation’s leaders defensively, giving up only 11.8 points per game en route to a school record 12 wins, all that came by 20 or more points.
The Red Raiders led the country with 32 takeaways, including 17 via interceptions from an aggressive secondary that drastically cut down on its passing yards allowed per game, going from more than 300 yards surrendered per game through the air in 2024 to only 190.1 during the 2025 season. Texas Tech ranked 26th nationally in fewest passing yards per game as part of a defense that joined Indiana as the only schools to rank in the top five of the FBS for scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and takeaways.
Texas Tech boasted a school record nine NFL Draft picks from its 2025 team, including one from the safety room in senior Cole Wisniewski. A transfer from North Dakota State, Wisniewski successfully returned from a season-ending injury that cost him his entire 2024 season, flourishing under Greene as one of the nation’s highest-graded safeties by Pro Football Focus. Wisniewski, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection by the conference coaches, was chosen in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles after ranking third on the team with 78 tackles to go along with two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Greene reunited alongside Wood at Texas Tech, marking the third stint the two have worked with each other dating back to their time on staff together at Wofford in 2017 and Tulane in 2023. Greene arrived at Texas Tech following two seasons at Tulane where the Green Wave combined for 20 wins and played for two American Athletic Conference titles during his tenure after finishing 15-1 overall in regular-season conference games.
Tulane ranked among the nation's most-opportunistic defenses during Greene's two seasons, especially in 2023 when the Green Wave led the AAC for both turnovers gained (27) and total interceptions (17), finishing third and fourth nationally in the two categories. Wood was Tulane's defensive coordinator that season with Greene serving as defensive backs coach for a unit that was also 16th in the FBS for rushing defense (112.7 yards per game), 23rd for scoring defense (20.5 points per game) and 36th for total defense (341.3 yards per game).
Greene remained at Tulane following Wood's departure in 2024 as a defensive analyst and safeties coach. Tulane closed the 2024 campaign tied for the FBS high with six defensive touchdowns and ranked 15th nationally for passing yards allowed (177.7 yards per game), 24th for both total defense (323.5 yards per game) and scoring defense (20.6 points allowed per game) and then 27th with 14 interceptions.
Prior to Tulane, Greene served six seasons as an assistant coach at Wofford, his alma mater, eventually rising to defensive coordinator for three seasons starting with the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign that was played during the spring of 2021. Greene was promoted as the defensive play-caller only two weeks prior to that 2021 spring season.
Greene began his tenure at Wofford as the cornerbacks coach in 2017 for a Wood-led defense that finished 10-3 overall with a Southern Conference title. The Terriers ranked second in the conference and 26th nationally in total defense that season, giving up only 326.7 yards per game to go along with just 22.4 points a contest. Wofford created 20 takeaways during his debut season as well, including four interceptions from first team All-Southern Conference cornerback Devin Watson.
Greene took over the entire defensive backs room beginning with his second season on staff as Wofford led the Southern Conference in total defense, scoring defense, passing defense and rushing defense. The Terriers finished 9-4 that season, advancing to the Southern Conference title game yet again as well as the second round of the NCAA FCS playoffs. Wofford won its second conference title with Greene in 2019 as the Terriers ranked 20th in the nation for total defense and 24th for scoring defense, giving up 335.3 yards and 22.1 points a contest.
Greene began his coaching career as a graduate assistant working with the wide receivers at North Greenville University in 2015 before moving to the opposite side of the ball as a defensive graduate assistant at Pittsburgh in 2016. Pitt finished 8-5 that season after defeating eventual national champion Clemson as well as Penn State, both teams that finished in the top five of the final College Football Playoff rankings.
Similar to Wood, Greene played on the offensive side of the ball as a wide receiver for Wofford from 2010-13. Wood was Greene's position coach during his freshman season in 2010 before becoming Wofford's safeties coach beginning in 2011. Wofford made three NCAA FCS playoff appearances during Greene's paying career with two Southern Conference titles. He was a four-time selection to the Southern Conference academic honor roll as well as a three-time honoree to the Academic All-Southern Conference team.
Greene moved to North Greenville University in 2014 as a graduate transfer, helping push the Crusaders to a victory over Shorter University, 42-16, in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Victory Bowl. He signed with Wofford out of Dorman High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he was a team captain his senior season for a team that went 14-1 overall and won the state championship.
Greene graduated magna cum laude from Wofford in 2014, earning his bachelor's degree in mathematics. He married his wife, Ellie, a 2017 graduate of Wofford, in May 2020. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, Elsie, in April 2026.
ROB GREENE COACHING HISTORY
2026 – Texas Tech Co-Defensive Coordinator (Safeties)
2025 – Texas Tech Assistant Coach (Safeties)
2024 – Tulane Defensive Analyst (Safeties)
2023 – Tulane Assistant Coach (Defensive Backs)
2022 – Wofford Co-Defensive Coordinator (Secondary)
2020-21 – Wofford Defensive Coordinator (Safeties)
2018-19 – Wofford Assistant Coach (Defensive Backs)
2017 – Wofford Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks)
2016 – Pittsburgh Defensive Graduate Assistant
2015 – North Greenville University Graduate Assistant (Wide Receivers)
BOWL GAMES AS A COACH (4): 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl (Texas Tech): 2024 Gasparilla Bowl (Tulane), 2023 Military Bowl (Tulane), 2016 Pinstripe Bowl (Pittsburgh).
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS (4): 2025 Big 12 Conference (Texas Tech); 2019 Southern Conference (Wofford); 2018 Southern Conference (Wofford); 2017 Southern Conference (Wofford).
Texas Tech transformed its defense with the arrival of both defensive coordinator Shiel Wood and Greene, posting the largest year-by-year improvement for both scoring (-23.0) and total yards allowed per game (-203.2) by any FBS program since 2000. Texas Tech ranked among the nation’s leaders defensively, giving up only 11.8 points per game en route to a school record 12 wins, all that came by 20 or more points.
The Red Raiders led the country with 32 takeaways, including 17 via interceptions from an aggressive secondary that drastically cut down on its passing yards allowed per game, going from more than 300 yards surrendered per game through the air in 2024 to only 190.1 during the 2025 season. Texas Tech ranked 26th nationally in fewest passing yards per game as part of a defense that joined Indiana as the only schools to rank in the top five of the FBS for scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and takeaways.
Texas Tech boasted a school record nine NFL Draft picks from its 2025 team, including one from the safety room in senior Cole Wisniewski. A transfer from North Dakota State, Wisniewski successfully returned from a season-ending injury that cost him his entire 2024 season, flourishing under Greene as one of the nation’s highest-graded safeties by Pro Football Focus. Wisniewski, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection by the conference coaches, was chosen in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles after ranking third on the team with 78 tackles to go along with two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Greene reunited alongside Wood at Texas Tech, marking the third stint the two have worked with each other dating back to their time on staff together at Wofford in 2017 and Tulane in 2023. Greene arrived at Texas Tech following two seasons at Tulane where the Green Wave combined for 20 wins and played for two American Athletic Conference titles during his tenure after finishing 15-1 overall in regular-season conference games.
Tulane ranked among the nation's most-opportunistic defenses during Greene's two seasons, especially in 2023 when the Green Wave led the AAC for both turnovers gained (27) and total interceptions (17), finishing third and fourth nationally in the two categories. Wood was Tulane's defensive coordinator that season with Greene serving as defensive backs coach for a unit that was also 16th in the FBS for rushing defense (112.7 yards per game), 23rd for scoring defense (20.5 points per game) and 36th for total defense (341.3 yards per game).
Greene remained at Tulane following Wood's departure in 2024 as a defensive analyst and safeties coach. Tulane closed the 2024 campaign tied for the FBS high with six defensive touchdowns and ranked 15th nationally for passing yards allowed (177.7 yards per game), 24th for both total defense (323.5 yards per game) and scoring defense (20.6 points allowed per game) and then 27th with 14 interceptions.
Prior to Tulane, Greene served six seasons as an assistant coach at Wofford, his alma mater, eventually rising to defensive coordinator for three seasons starting with the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign that was played during the spring of 2021. Greene was promoted as the defensive play-caller only two weeks prior to that 2021 spring season.
Greene began his tenure at Wofford as the cornerbacks coach in 2017 for a Wood-led defense that finished 10-3 overall with a Southern Conference title. The Terriers ranked second in the conference and 26th nationally in total defense that season, giving up only 326.7 yards per game to go along with just 22.4 points a contest. Wofford created 20 takeaways during his debut season as well, including four interceptions from first team All-Southern Conference cornerback Devin Watson.
Greene took over the entire defensive backs room beginning with his second season on staff as Wofford led the Southern Conference in total defense, scoring defense, passing defense and rushing defense. The Terriers finished 9-4 that season, advancing to the Southern Conference title game yet again as well as the second round of the NCAA FCS playoffs. Wofford won its second conference title with Greene in 2019 as the Terriers ranked 20th in the nation for total defense and 24th for scoring defense, giving up 335.3 yards and 22.1 points a contest.
Greene began his coaching career as a graduate assistant working with the wide receivers at North Greenville University in 2015 before moving to the opposite side of the ball as a defensive graduate assistant at Pittsburgh in 2016. Pitt finished 8-5 that season after defeating eventual national champion Clemson as well as Penn State, both teams that finished in the top five of the final College Football Playoff rankings.
Similar to Wood, Greene played on the offensive side of the ball as a wide receiver for Wofford from 2010-13. Wood was Greene's position coach during his freshman season in 2010 before becoming Wofford's safeties coach beginning in 2011. Wofford made three NCAA FCS playoff appearances during Greene's paying career with two Southern Conference titles. He was a four-time selection to the Southern Conference academic honor roll as well as a three-time honoree to the Academic All-Southern Conference team.
Greene moved to North Greenville University in 2014 as a graduate transfer, helping push the Crusaders to a victory over Shorter University, 42-16, in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Victory Bowl. He signed with Wofford out of Dorman High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he was a team captain his senior season for a team that went 14-1 overall and won the state championship.
Greene graduated magna cum laude from Wofford in 2014, earning his bachelor's degree in mathematics. He married his wife, Ellie, a 2017 graduate of Wofford, in May 2020. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, Elsie, in April 2026.
ROB GREENE COACHING HISTORY
2026 – Texas Tech Co-Defensive Coordinator (Safeties)
2025 – Texas Tech Assistant Coach (Safeties)
2024 – Tulane Defensive Analyst (Safeties)
2023 – Tulane Assistant Coach (Defensive Backs)
2022 – Wofford Co-Defensive Coordinator (Secondary)
2020-21 – Wofford Defensive Coordinator (Safeties)
2018-19 – Wofford Assistant Coach (Defensive Backs)
2017 – Wofford Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks)
2016 – Pittsburgh Defensive Graduate Assistant
2015 – North Greenville University Graduate Assistant (Wide Receivers)
BOWL GAMES AS A COACH (4): 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl (Texas Tech): 2024 Gasparilla Bowl (Tulane), 2023 Military Bowl (Tulane), 2016 Pinstripe Bowl (Pittsburgh).
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS (4): 2025 Big 12 Conference (Texas Tech); 2019 Southern Conference (Wofford); 2018 Southern Conference (Wofford); 2017 Southern Conference (Wofford).
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