Texas Tech Confirms Matt Wells Fired as Head Coach: Who’s Next?

Update: Just before 2 p.m. on Monday, Texas Tech Athletics Department confirmed the firing of head football coach Matt Wells.

The school said Sonny Cumbie will indeed be the team's interim head coach for the rest of the 2021 season.

Texas Tech Athletics Director Kirby Hocutt will be discussing the decision today, as well as the future of the football program, in a press conference to air live at 5 p.m. on TexasTech.com and the athletics department's social media channels.

Original story: Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Monday (October 25th) that Matt Wells, head coach of Texas Tech football, has been fired.

From Engel's Story:

A source said that Texas Tech plans to fire head football coach Matt Wells immediately and name offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie as the interim head coach. Wells is expected to be fired today, and Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt will hold a press conference this late afternoon or evening in Lubbock to discuss the move. Although the Red Raiders are currently 5-3 this season, they are 13-17 since Wells was hired to replace Kliff Kingsbury after the 2018 season.

Engel pointed out that Wells would be owed $7 million per his contract with Texas Tech. The school's athletics department has yet to release a statement regarding Wells' firing, but if it's indeed true, that statement should come today.

For now, Cumbie being named as the interim head coach makes a lot of sense. I don't think he's in line to become the new head coach, but he'll certainly be looking at the next four games as an audition.

Following Texas Tech's loss to Kansas State, I freshened up my list of candidates for the brand new head coach at Texas Tech. Here's that list: