Interim Texas Tech DC Ah You hopes to elevate defense in Liberty Bowl clash with Arkansas

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

Even though Texas Tech had a successful regular season, its defense was not a strength as evidenced by defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter and defensive backs coach Marcel Yates being dismissed on Dec. 1.

Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire chose to elevate linebackers coach CJ Ah You to also serve as interim defensive coordinator as Texas Tech (8-4) prepares to take on Arkansas (6-6) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

That game will be played Friday at 6 p.m. in Memphis and televised by ESPN.

“Grateful he (McGuire) gave me the opportunity, and he trusted me to go moving forward, to finish off this this year,” Ah You said. “So that’s a great opportunity, and I just ran with it. You know, we got a good group of guys that been all in all year, so we’re very excited to for the challenge.”

Ah You is a place holder for Shiel Wood, who was hired on Dec. 4 after being previously at Houston, Army, Troy and Tulane.

“It’s always a great thing to hear when someone appreciates the work that you do,” Ah You said, “but I’ve always just put my head down and just continue working. There’s always room for improvement and that’s just what I’ve done throughout my career, and it feels good to know that he feels that way towards the stuff I put on tape.”

The Texas Tech defense was led this season by linebackers Jason Rodriguez (118 tackles, 5 sacks) and Ben Roberts (79 tackles) and defensive backs CJ Baskerville (68 tackles, four interceptions) and Chapman Lewis (41 tackles, 3 interceptions).

The Red Raiders gave up an average of 453.4 yards total offense per game, 46 scores on 52 red zone defensive opportunities and 34.5 points per game.

“We ain’t inventing a new wheel in two and a half weeks,” Ah You said. “There’s things that our guys do really well throughout the year, so it’s pinpointing those things and then just really being detailed about it and making them feel real confident about what they’re doing so they can line up quick, do their checks and then play really fast.”

Ah You played his college football at Oklahoma before being with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams for six seasons.

He got his coaching career going by returning to Oklahoma as a quality control assistant and going on to Vanderbilt for three years as the defensive line coach.

He was hired by the XFL’s New York Guardians only to see the 2019 season canceled due to Covid.

He would then spend time with the Los Angeles Chargers on a minority coaching internship and a year at USC as defensive quality control assistant before heading to Nevada as defensive line coach and Texas Tech three years ago as linebackers coach.

Lewis said they can tell how much Ah You is enjoying the new opportunity to lead the unit, and it’s rubbing off on the players themselves.

“It feels like he brings a different type of energy to the team,” Lewis said, “and how we approach practice and stuff like that.”

Ah You notes he has not looked ahead to what Wood will do with the defense.

“I have not looked at the scheme yet,” Ah You said. “Our focus is on Arkansas and we have been focusing on our guys here. Then after Arkansas, I’ll be able to dive in what’s new or what is gong to be changing.”

While Arkansas’ top three receivers, three of its interior linemen and several running backs won’t play Ah You is still wary of a Razorbacks offense led by quarterback Taylen Green.

“They’ve still got their quarterback, right?” Ah You said. “He’s great player and he makes those things run, so in our preparation, it doesn’t matter who is lined up or what they got.

“The great thing about the bowl game is that you have young guys getting opportunities that think they should have been getting opportunities already.

“So you are going to have a very hungry Arkansas team ready to play no matter who shows up.”

Ah You expanded on his thoughts on Green.

laymaker, makes a lot off plays with his legs and they do a great job in putting him in situations where he can succeed,” Ah You said. “So we have to do a great job of keeping him in the pocket and getting to him.

“That’s the biggest part – he does a lot of great things with his legs so we have a great challenge ahead of us.”

Photo courtesy of Texas Tech