Texas Tech University Athletics
Staff Directory
Imarjaye Albury Sr.
- Title:
- Defensive Line Coach
Imarjaye Albury Sr. enters his first season as Texas Tech's defensive line coach, bringing nearly a decade of experience at both the NFL and collegiate levels with him as the Red Raiders aim to reload up front.
Albury arrived at Texas Tech following six seasons in various roles with the Minnesota Vikings, including five on the coaching staff where he rose to assistant defensive line coach. The Vikings made two playoff appearances during his tenure thanks to a 13-4 campaign in 2022 and then a 14-3 record in 2024, which marked the second-most wins in franchise history. Minnesota barely missed another playoff appearance during his final season on staff, finishing 9-8 overall after five-consecutive wins to end the year.
Albury began his tenure in Minnesota as a defensive quality control and assistant linebackers coach from 2020-21 before transitioning to the front office as a pro scout during the 2022 season. He was named a defensive assistant a year later, working with the outside linebackers during the 2023-24 campaigns before being named the assistant defensive line coach for the 2025 season under Kevin O’Connell, who became the first Vikings head coach to record multiple 13-win seasons in the more than 60 years of the franchise.
Minnesota ranked tied for fourth in the NFL for sacks during the 2025 season, totaling 49.0 as a team with Albury’s unit combining for 15.0 on their own. Jalen Redmond led the defensive line with 6.0 sacks in only his second NFL season, developing from an undrafted free agent who originally signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 to one of the Vikings’ leaders in the middle. The Vikings were previously second in the NFL with 51.0 sacks during Albury’s second season on staff in 2021, their most since 1992.
Albury played an integral role in Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel being named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in their respective careers during the 2024 season. Greenard led the Vikings with 12.0 sacks, while Van Ginkel was a half-sack behind to form the only NFL duo with at least 11.5 sacks on the season. The pair both ranked in the top 10 among the NFL sacks leaders that season with Greenard tied for fifth overall and Van Ginkel tied for eighth. Van Ginkel, who was also the only NFL player to return multiple interceptions for touchdowns during the 2024 season, was a second team Associated Press All-Pro selection.
In addition, fellow outside linebacker Pat Jones recorded a career-high 7.0 sacks in 2024, making the Vikings one of only three NFL teams with at least three players with at least 7.0 sacks. Albury was also instrumental in the development of rookie Dallas Turner, the 17th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Turner was one of three rookies in 2024 with at least one interception and multiple sacks.
As a team, the Vikings led the NFL in interceptions (24), passes defended (95), opponent 4th-down conversion percentage (37.1 percent) and interceptions per attempt (3.8 percent) that season as one of the league’s top defenses. The Vikings also shared the league high with 33 takeaways and ranked second in opponent scoring efficiency (31.6 percent), opponent runs of at least 20 yards (5) and opponents rushing yards per game (93.5).
In his first season back from his front office role, Albury was part of a Vikings team that improved from 31st overall in 2022 to 16th for total defense, posting top-eight rankings in both rushing yards per play (fourth) and rushing yards per game (eighth). Minnesota led the NFL with 21 forced fumbles, marking the most by the Vikings since 2007. Albury worked with another Pro Bowl selection that season in outside linebacker Danielle Hunter, who shared the NFL high with 23.0 tackles for loss and was fifth overall with 16.5 sacks.
Prior to joining the front office, Albury was responsible for developing several younger players on the Vikings roster, namely D.J. Wonnum, who recorded 8.0 sacks in 2021, only his second year in the league. Albury also played a key role in the development of defensive end Kenny Willekes, a former seventh-round selection and practice squad player, who posted 2.5 sacks in six games played that season. Minnesota’s defense racked up 51.0 sacks during the 2021 season altogether, its most since 1992.
Woonum previously stood out as a rookie under Albury in 2020, posting 24 tackles, 3.0 sacks, a team-leading 5.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He was one of three rookie defensive linemen in the NFL that season to record at least 3.0 sacks and a forced fumble in 2020. Minnesota’s front four also featured defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, who led the line with 44 tackles, as well as defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo, who totaled 3.5 sacks and a team-leading 12 quarterback hurries.
Albury joined the Vikings staff following two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Arkansas where he worked primarily with the defensive line. He coached one of his future players while with the Razorbacks in Watts, who developed into a sixth-round pick of the 2019 NFL Draft by Minnesota after recording 7.0 sacks as a senior in 2018. Watts had played only 114 snaps over his three previous season prior to a stellar senior season where he led the Razorbacks for not only sacks but with three forced fumbles.
Albury began his coaching career at Corland State University in 2017, a NCAA Division III program in New York. Albury oversaw Cortland’s special teams and worked with the defensive line that season, mentoring a unit that recorded 31.0 sacks, which ranked second in the Empire 8 Conference. Albury’s special teams unit also led the conference with six blocked field goals.
His coaching career also includes brief stints with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League where he served as a guest coach during the team’s 2019 training camp. Albury also briefly served on staff at Western Carolina as the defensive ends coach before being hired by the Vikings.
As a player, Albury spent one season at West Virginia in 2012 before transferring to Florida International where he was a three-year starter along the defensive line. Albury combined for 76 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks over 36 games at FIU, serving as a team captain as a senior. Albury, who was also the program’s Defensive MVP that season, played in the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and participated in mini-camps with the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers before joining the coaching profession.
Albury, a native of Miami, Florida, and his wife, Brittany, have a son, Imarjaye Jr., who goes by “Junior,” and a daughter, Jordyn.
IMARJAYE ALBURY SR. COACHING EXPERIENCE
2026-present – Texas Tech Assistant Coach (Defensive Line)
2025 – Minnesota Vikings Assistant Coach (Asst. Defensive Line)
2023-24 – Minnesota Vikings Defensive Assistant (Outside Linebackers)
2022 – Minnesota Vikings Scout
2020-21 – Minnesota Vikings Defensive Quality Control (Asst. Linebackers)
2018-19 – Arkansas Graduate Assistant (Defensive Line)
2017 – Cortland State Assistant Coach (Defensive Line/Special Teams)
PRONUNCIATION
Imarjaye Albury Sr. – im-MAR-jay AL-berry
Albury arrived at Texas Tech following six seasons in various roles with the Minnesota Vikings, including five on the coaching staff where he rose to assistant defensive line coach. The Vikings made two playoff appearances during his tenure thanks to a 13-4 campaign in 2022 and then a 14-3 record in 2024, which marked the second-most wins in franchise history. Minnesota barely missed another playoff appearance during his final season on staff, finishing 9-8 overall after five-consecutive wins to end the year.
Albury began his tenure in Minnesota as a defensive quality control and assistant linebackers coach from 2020-21 before transitioning to the front office as a pro scout during the 2022 season. He was named a defensive assistant a year later, working with the outside linebackers during the 2023-24 campaigns before being named the assistant defensive line coach for the 2025 season under Kevin O’Connell, who became the first Vikings head coach to record multiple 13-win seasons in the more than 60 years of the franchise.
Minnesota ranked tied for fourth in the NFL for sacks during the 2025 season, totaling 49.0 as a team with Albury’s unit combining for 15.0 on their own. Jalen Redmond led the defensive line with 6.0 sacks in only his second NFL season, developing from an undrafted free agent who originally signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 to one of the Vikings’ leaders in the middle. The Vikings were previously second in the NFL with 51.0 sacks during Albury’s second season on staff in 2021, their most since 1992.
Albury played an integral role in Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel being named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in their respective careers during the 2024 season. Greenard led the Vikings with 12.0 sacks, while Van Ginkel was a half-sack behind to form the only NFL duo with at least 11.5 sacks on the season. The pair both ranked in the top 10 among the NFL sacks leaders that season with Greenard tied for fifth overall and Van Ginkel tied for eighth. Van Ginkel, who was also the only NFL player to return multiple interceptions for touchdowns during the 2024 season, was a second team Associated Press All-Pro selection.
In addition, fellow outside linebacker Pat Jones recorded a career-high 7.0 sacks in 2024, making the Vikings one of only three NFL teams with at least three players with at least 7.0 sacks. Albury was also instrumental in the development of rookie Dallas Turner, the 17th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Turner was one of three rookies in 2024 with at least one interception and multiple sacks.
As a team, the Vikings led the NFL in interceptions (24), passes defended (95), opponent 4th-down conversion percentage (37.1 percent) and interceptions per attempt (3.8 percent) that season as one of the league’s top defenses. The Vikings also shared the league high with 33 takeaways and ranked second in opponent scoring efficiency (31.6 percent), opponent runs of at least 20 yards (5) and opponents rushing yards per game (93.5).
In his first season back from his front office role, Albury was part of a Vikings team that improved from 31st overall in 2022 to 16th for total defense, posting top-eight rankings in both rushing yards per play (fourth) and rushing yards per game (eighth). Minnesota led the NFL with 21 forced fumbles, marking the most by the Vikings since 2007. Albury worked with another Pro Bowl selection that season in outside linebacker Danielle Hunter, who shared the NFL high with 23.0 tackles for loss and was fifth overall with 16.5 sacks.
Prior to joining the front office, Albury was responsible for developing several younger players on the Vikings roster, namely D.J. Wonnum, who recorded 8.0 sacks in 2021, only his second year in the league. Albury also played a key role in the development of defensive end Kenny Willekes, a former seventh-round selection and practice squad player, who posted 2.5 sacks in six games played that season. Minnesota’s defense racked up 51.0 sacks during the 2021 season altogether, its most since 1992.
Woonum previously stood out as a rookie under Albury in 2020, posting 24 tackles, 3.0 sacks, a team-leading 5.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He was one of three rookie defensive linemen in the NFL that season to record at least 3.0 sacks and a forced fumble in 2020. Minnesota’s front four also featured defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, who led the line with 44 tackles, as well as defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo, who totaled 3.5 sacks and a team-leading 12 quarterback hurries.
Albury joined the Vikings staff following two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Arkansas where he worked primarily with the defensive line. He coached one of his future players while with the Razorbacks in Watts, who developed into a sixth-round pick of the 2019 NFL Draft by Minnesota after recording 7.0 sacks as a senior in 2018. Watts had played only 114 snaps over his three previous season prior to a stellar senior season where he led the Razorbacks for not only sacks but with three forced fumbles.
Albury began his coaching career at Corland State University in 2017, a NCAA Division III program in New York. Albury oversaw Cortland’s special teams and worked with the defensive line that season, mentoring a unit that recorded 31.0 sacks, which ranked second in the Empire 8 Conference. Albury’s special teams unit also led the conference with six blocked field goals.
His coaching career also includes brief stints with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League where he served as a guest coach during the team’s 2019 training camp. Albury also briefly served on staff at Western Carolina as the defensive ends coach before being hired by the Vikings.
As a player, Albury spent one season at West Virginia in 2012 before transferring to Florida International where he was a three-year starter along the defensive line. Albury combined for 76 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks over 36 games at FIU, serving as a team captain as a senior. Albury, who was also the program’s Defensive MVP that season, played in the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and participated in mini-camps with the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers before joining the coaching profession.
Albury, a native of Miami, Florida, and his wife, Brittany, have a son, Imarjaye Jr., who goes by “Junior,” and a daughter, Jordyn.
IMARJAYE ALBURY SR. COACHING EXPERIENCE
2026-present – Texas Tech Assistant Coach (Defensive Line)
2025 – Minnesota Vikings Assistant Coach (Asst. Defensive Line)
2023-24 – Minnesota Vikings Defensive Assistant (Outside Linebackers)
2022 – Minnesota Vikings Scout
2020-21 – Minnesota Vikings Defensive Quality Control (Asst. Linebackers)
2018-19 – Arkansas Graduate Assistant (Defensive Line)
2017 – Cortland State Assistant Coach (Defensive Line/Special Teams)
PRONUNCIATION
Imarjaye Albury Sr. – im-MAR-jay AL-berry
Friday, July 31
Thursday, July 30
Wednesday, July 29
Wednesday, July 22
