Texas Tech Football Coach Joey McGuire ‘Thrilled’ with Grant McCasland Hiring
Head football coach Joey McGuire is one of Texas Tech’s hiring committee members, and by the sounds of it, he couldn’t be more pleased with the university’s selection for head basketball coach. The Red Raiders brought aboard Grant McCasland Friday, and McGuire expressed his support for the move.
“I’m thrilled Grant McCasland has agreed to become our new men’s basketball coach,” McGuire said, via KLBK News’ Arielle Schafer. “To put it simply, he’s one of us. Red Raiders are going to love the toughness and grit his teams will play with each and every night. That’s his philosophy and that’s who he is as a person. From the first moment he met with our committee, you could tell he has the passion for this university that will make the top basketball athletes in the country want to wear the scarlet and black.
“In fact, I was ready to offer him on the spot as he’s the exact type of coach I want on my staff. Debbie and I are excited to welcome him and his family back to Texas Tech and part of the Red Raider family.”
The Red Raiders will sign McCasland to a six-year contract with $18 million, according to CBS Sports. McCasland is fresh off of leading the North Texas Mean Green to an NIT Championship, after they defeated Conference USA foe UAB 68-61 on Thursday night to win the tournament.
It was the last time that both teams will play as members of Conference USA, as both the Mean Green and Blazers are headed to the American Athletic Conference next season.
Under McCasland’s watch, North Texas finished 31-7 for the 2022-23 season. That brought his record as a head coach to 210-89. Over the last six seasons at UNT, McCasland went 135-65 and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, upsetting No. 4 Purdue in the first round.
Reports surfaced Thursday from KCBD 11, an NBC News affiliate in Lubbock, Texas, that McCasland was set to be named the next head basketball coach at Texas Tech, with an announcement coming after the conclusion of the NIT Tournament. And that turned out to be exactly the case.
McCasland, who quickly shared a spirited message with Red Raider Nation, will be the third head coach for Texas Tech in as many years, following Chris Beard’s exit and Mark Adams’ resignation.
