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Report: Texas Tech Plans to Fire Matt Wells Just Five Days Before Bout with Oklahoma

Wells was in the midst of just his third season with the Red Raiders.

Josh Callaway

This weekend was expected to be Lincoln Riley vs. Matt Wells for the third time since Wells took over the Texas Tech program after the 2018 season.

But, that billing will evidently need to be changed.

According to a report from Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Red Raiders are planning to move on from Wells effective immediately after their 25-24 loss to Kansas State on Saturday.

According to Engel, offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie will be named the interim head coach.

Despite a relatively successful season to this point with Texas Tech holding a 5-3 record, Wells was always viewed as being on thin ice after a rough couple of years to begin his tenure.

Now, apparently, the Red Raiders’ close loss to Kansas State in Manhattan over the weekend, in which Wells' squad squandered a 14-point lead, was enough to push things over the edge.

From the Sooners’ perspective, this now creates a fascinating new wrinkle for their matchup this weekend as they face a team with a different leading voice than what was expected.

Wells is an Oklahoma native from Sallisaw, where he was a standout high school quarterback for the Black Diamonds. 

Also a former Tulsa assistant, Wells came to Tech after six mostly successful seasons as head coach at at Utah State.  

Lincoln Riley’s weekly press conference is set for Tuesday at noon, where he will certainly make a comment on an unusual situation for Oklahoma heading into their ninth game of the season. 

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Josh Callaway
JOSH CALLAWAY

Josh has been with AllSooners since June of 2021 after spending the previous year with Sooners Wire via USA TODAY Sports. He is also a high school sports broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @JoshMCallaway.

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