Texas Tech Promotes Mark Adams to Red Raider Basketball Head Coach
Mark Adams, who's had a long history with sports in not just Lubbock, but Texas as a whole, will become the next head coach for Texas Tech Red Raider basketball.
Adams was Chris Beard's right-hand man for a number of seasons, serving as Texas Tech's associate head coach from 2016 through this past season. He also coached with Beard at Arkansas-Little Rock in 2015-16.
Adams is the creator of the 'No Middle' defense that helped propel Texas Tech to the NCAA Championship Game against Virginia in 2019. That same season, Texas Tech's defense held opposing teams to 37 percent shooting from the field, which was the second-best in the country.
Adams' official Texas Tech coaching bio also notes the success as a head coach he's had at smaller schools during his career:
Overall, Adams guided his teams to 14 postseason appearances and a .700 postseason winning percentage as a head coach and reached the national tournament of each school's respective classification eight times (three NJCAA, two NCAA Division II and three NAIA). Wayland Baptist secured a spot in the 1985 NAIA National Final.
Adams has piled up 15 Coach of the Year honors during his tenure as a head coach. He also has captured six region, conference or district Coach of the Year honors over his career.
Texas Tech Athletics Director Kirby Hocutt confirmed the news on Twitter shortly after sources leaked the news to media.
Following Texas Tech's 2019 National Championship game appearance, Adams interviewed with the Chicago Bulls for an assistant coaching position, but he decided to stay with Texas Tech.
Adams and Sean Sutton were the only two members of Chris Beard's 2020-2021 staff who didn't leave Texas Tech to join Beard in Austin.
Upon word of Adams being promoted by Texas Tech, Kevin McCullar Jr. announced he will return to the Red Raiders for next season.
Texas Tech Athletics will hold a Tuesday press conference with Hocutt and Adams. Additional information concerning assistant coaches and player retainment may also be discussed on Tuesday.
Mark Adams’ Coaching Experience
Seasons, School, Position
1981-82: Clarendon College, Head Coach
1983-87: Wayland Baptist, Head Coach
1987-92: West Texas A&M, Head Coach
1992-97: Texas-Pan American, Head Coach
2004-13: Howard College, Head Coach
2013-15: Texas Tech, Director of Basketball Operations
2015-16: Little Rock, Assistant Coach
2016-2021: Texas Tech, Associate Head Coach
Present: Texas Tech, Head Coach