Texas Tech, led by head coach Joey McGuire, is drawing national attention for reshaping its football future with a bold, well-funded strategy. Backed by a record-setting $55 million athletic budget, the program is undergoing a full-scale overhaul designed to compete at the highest levels of the Big 12.
This offseason alone, McGuire has brought in 18 recruits and 21 transfers, effectively rebuilding nearly two complete units. The Red Raiders are combining top-tier NIL investments, cutting-edge facilities, and an aggressive recruiting push to establish themselves as a rising force in college football.
Joey McGuire’s Texas Tech Pushes for Big 12 Glory with $55M Athletic Budget
Texas Tech is charting an ambitious course under head coach Joey McGuire. Leaning on a historic $55 million athletic budget, the program is building a legitimate Big 12 contender. The program is embracing an aggressive model powered by NIL, high-stakes recruiting, and major facility upgrades.
“Expectation is something that has followed the Texas Tech Red Raiders everywhere since Joey McGuire took over the reins at the start of the 2022 college football season,” PFSN analyst Oliver Hodgkinson noted.
McGuire recently cracked the top 50 in Joe Broback’s head coach rankings, and his approach in Lubbock reflects that momentum. Texas Tech has become a standout force in the transfer portal and high school recruiting landscape.
Hodgkinson pointed to the five-star signing of offensive lineman Felix Ojo, who turned down Texas in favor of a $5.1 million, three-year revenue-share agreement with the Red Raiders.
This offseason, McGuire’s team has added 18 recruits and 21 transfers, effectively rebuilding both sides of the ball. Yet, cohesion remains uncertain.
“This team could be all-world this year, or it could be really, really wobbly out of the gate,” Josh Pate said on The Late Kick. “There’s a difference in a bunch of individuals and a team.”
McGuire told The Triple Option that donor backing is crucial.
“You get a guy on campus and he is your guy, like Mr. Joyner, our running back, don’t let him leave,” McGuire said.
He added that Texas Tech is working with a company to assign value to players, a reflection of the evolving NIL landscape.
“Then we have another group that grades college players one through 10, with 10 being the highest NFL ranking down to one. And so we take those two, and that’s really how we got really aggressive in the portal.”
Support from billionaire donor and former offensive lineman Cody Campbell has also bolstered the program. McGuire highlighted a $250 million facility upgrade, calling it “as good as anywhere in the country.”
Texas Tech went 6-6 in the 2023 regular season but reached its highest Big 12 win total since Mike Leach’s tenure.
