Sadler retires; Tarleton State head coach added as Tech assistant
Sam McElroy, the head football coach at Tarleton State the last five years, has been hired by Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville to coach the Red Raiders’ interior defensive linemen.
McElroy, 45, will replace defensive line coach Charlie Sadler. A Tech spokesman said Tuberville wanted Sadler to stay on in his current position, but Sadler decided in the last two weeks to retire.
McElroy, a Corsicana native, led Tarleton to five consecutive winning seasons with an overall record of 40-15. The Texans were 10-3 in 2009, losing to top-ranked Central Washington in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. He also was a defensive assistant for two years at North Texas and for seven years at Sam Houston State.
Early in his career, McElroy had staff positions at Baylor, Texas State and Navarro Junior College before taking high school head coaching jobs at Tyler Gorman and Alto.
Tuberville’s on-field staff is complete with nine assistants. In hiring, he said he put a premium on recruiting ability.
“I can hire a lot of people that can put Xs and Os on the board,’’ Tuberville said. “We’re going to have recruiters here. Guys that enjoy recruiting, that No. 1 can evaluate, and that No. 2, can do a great job of representing Texas Tech and selling what we have here.
“There’s not one guy that I can say, ‘He’s a little bit weak in recruiting.’ That’s not going to happen with us. You have to have nine very good ones.’’
Tuberville said he looked for a good offensive coordinator and a good defensive coordinator, “and everybody else, I looked at recruiting first.’’
Other than offensive coordinator Neal Brown and defensive coordinator James Willis, Tech has not announced any of the new assistants. However, Tuberville outlined their assignments Wednesday in his national signing day news conference.
McElroy will coach nose tackles and defensive tackles, Willis will tutor inside linebackers, and Robert Prunty will oversee outside linebackers. Travaris Robinson will coach defensive backs with help from graduate assistant Duane Price, who was a safety and a cornerback during his Tech playing career.
Tuberville also confirmed his offensive staff assignments: Brown (quarterbacks), Chad Scott (running backs), Matt Moore (linemen), Sonny Cumbie (inside receivers) and Tommy Mainord (wide receivers). Cumbie was recently promoted from the offense’s graduate assistant, so that position is open.
“I’m going to be head special teams coach — and get ready,’’ Tuberville said with a chuckle.
To comment on this story:
don.williams@lubbockonline.com uE06C 766-8734
courtney.linehan@lubbockonline.com uE06C 766-8735
More from this category
- Tech moves football opener to a Sunday
- Leach attorneys confident after this week’s testimony
- Leach testifying under oath about December events
- High standards precede Brewer in Hub
- Lake Travis QB commits to Tech
- Tuberville talks about winning championships at Tech
- Killeen Ellison standout pledges to Tech
- Tuberville says defensive line key to championships
More from this author
- Tech moves football opener to a Sunday
- Osaghae takes third in hurdles at NCAA indoor championships
- Tech women’s relay, Lamb earn all-America honors at NCAA indoor
- Top five is Tech men’s goal at NCAA indoor meet
- High standards precede Brewer in Hub
Subscribe to this author
Dang. Tubby sure wanted Sadler to stay on.
Hance wanted McNeill to stay on & sweep his office.
Dang, they they sure wanted things.
Wonder why plans change so fast?.
Don’t blame Tubby or Hance.
Report this comment
wazoo…… enjoy your life at Walmart…… Tech will be fine without your watching them play ON TV.
Report this comment
Well, it looks like the only survivor on the Titanic is Matt Moore. Apparently Sadler did Tuberville a favor of pretending to be staying on in order to try to help Tuberville salvage the 2010 recruiting class.
Also, Sadler probably did not want to work for a 1st year defensive coordinator who spent 1 year as a LB coach on Alabama’s staff after being let go from Auburn in 2008 along with Tuberville.
Report this comment
Turberville is a true professional. He can recruit, he can coach.
He wont wear a pirate’s hat or a patch on his eye. Silly times are behind Tech.
Report this comment
Jason, go away…back to your little Bevo site.
Report this comment
You probably work with wazoo.
Report this comment
You are the one, Jason, who hasn’t outgrown the playground bully thrill.
Report this comment
Another one had enough sense to get away from this sewer, best of luck, Charley
Report this comment
Jason55 is a Barney Fife goober w/ such little self esteem that he must use these forums to act big and important. Grow up man! You really do come across as a mega dweeb 55 pound weakling.
Red Raiders,
If you support TT, great. Do so, but don’t bash ML.
If you support ML, great. Do so, but don’t bash TT.
Go to your local Red Raider alum clubs and keep the pressure on to remove certain administration folk.
Report this comment
“McElroy will coach nose tackles and defensive tackles, Willis will tutor inside linebackers, and Robert Prunty will oversee outside linebackers. Travaris Robinson will coach defensive backs with help from graduate assistant Duane Price, who was a safety and a cornerback during his Tech playing career.”
But who coaches the defensive ends?
Report this comment
I believe they are running a 3-4 which requires no defensive ends.
Report this comment
raider66 said:
I believe they are running a 3-4 which requires no defensive ends.
If Tuberville does not need defensive ends, then why did he sign 5.
Tuberville stated in his summarization that defensive line players over a certain height, which I think is 6′3″, are too tall to play nose guard or defensive tackle in his defensive scheme and will have to play an end position.
Report this comment
Jason 55,
If you want to get respect as being Thomas Hawley Tuberville’s main cheerleader and pimp, then I suggest that you learn to spell his last name which is Tuberville, not Turberville.
Jason55 said:
Turberville is a true professional. He can recruit, he can coach.
He wont wear a pirate’s hat or a patch on his eye. Silly times are behind Tech.
Report this comment
Hey, jason ever hear of the iron triangle. monkey mountain, or Dong ha red, you bookoo dep, Jason.?
Report this comment
Hey voice with a reason. The reason why TT got 5 defensive ends is usually in a 30 defense (3-4). DE’s can be used as the outside linebacker. For instance look at DeMarcus Ware, the cowboys drafted him as a DE but with his speed and dallas running a 3-4 he is an ideal outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense. Give this defensive change time you will see how much more aggressive a 3-4 defense is than that set D mcneil ran.
Report this comment
Jon said:
Hey voice with a reason. The reason why TT got 5 defensive ends is usually in a 30 defense (3-4). DE’s can be used as the outside linebacker. For instance look at DeMarcus Ware, the cowboys drafted him as a DE but with his speed and dallas running a 3-4 he is an ideal outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense. Give this defensive change time you will see how much more aggressive a 3-4 defense is than that set D mcneil ran.
Jon,
So you are saying that Tuberville who emphasizes speed is going to play 6-7 275 pound Scott Smith and Jackson Richards who runs a 4.85 second 40 yard dash as outside linebackers since both are too tall to play noseguard or defensive tackle in Tuberville’s system.
I think if Ruffin would have been given the opportunity to be head coach, then he would have had a much more aggressive defensive scheme. Ruffin was required to run a conservative defense by Mike Leach, but his defense still tied for second in the country for QB sacks and tied Alabama for second in most third down QB sacks with 14, while UT led the NCAA with 15.
I think TT would have probably tied for first or led the country in third down QB sacks if Brandon Sharpe had not missed the UT and A&M games.
Report this comment
Voice of Reason said: “Ruffin was required to run a conservative defense by Mike Leach, but his defense still tied for second in the country for QB sacks and tied Alabama for second in most third down QB sacks with 14, while UT led the NCAA with 15.”
Your credibility was shot before you made this statement but now it’s cemented in place. Your statement that Ruff was required to run a conservative defense by Leach is wrong and cannot be proven. As far as the quality of Ruff’s defense, it was barely in the top 50 and was directly responsible for the vast majority of our losses in the last few years (as was Setencich’s defense before Ruff). I’m a Leach fan but his one short coming as coach was his lack of defensive focus.
Report this comment
Yep Ruff sure looked in control during the A&M game this year. I was ten rows up behind the Tech bench. He looked clueless.
Tech Alum
Report this comment
I personally, am very excited to see what Tuberville will do for Tech! Leach was great, but I truly feel that he had hit his limit for what he could do for us. Prime example was that ass whooping we got from OU in 09′! His play calling was so predictable and limited even the commentators knew what we were gonna run before we even lined up! I garuntee our offense will be just as good if not better, under Tubby and his new crew. Tech’s offense + a new and highly improved defense = Tech finally winning the Big XII and going to the next level!!
Report this comment
LOL ruffin was a moron to think they would let him have the Head job LOL.. he threw his boss under the bus saying ” I will take care of your kids”…i never laughed sooo hardI
Report this comment
” In hiring, he said he put a premium on recruiting ability.”
Really? Why the bleep didn’t you keep Lincoln Riley then? : (
And is how they were able to land Boone? Because they got such good recruiters?
Report this comment
Tubs knows what needs to be done. Tech needs better recruiters and players, not coaches!! The execution of the plan is another animal.
Report this comment
Tubberville is the best thing to happen to tech in a long time. He is doing exactly what has needed to be done. Implement better recruiting which leads to better players and specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Tech also needed to control the ball better to win games so he will run the ball more. He is also bringing discipline to the team that has been lacking as well.
Report this comment
http://www.texastech.com/tickets/football-tkts.html
Report this comment
bill214
how is james going to fit in with that discipline thing?
Report this comment
COWBOY UP KENT, RESIGN TODAY
Report this comment