LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach named Ruffin McNeill interim defensive coordinator today after Lyle Setencich stepped down Sunday morning for personal reasons. Setencich will be assigned other duties by director of athletics Gerald Myers.
"We appreciate Lyle and the work he did for our program," Leach said. "We wish him and his family the best."
McNeill, the Red Raiders' assistant head coach, will assume the defensive coordinator role on an interim basis and coach the linebacker group. McNeill previously served as defensive tackles coach and special teams coordinator, a position that now will be split amongst the staff. Defensive ends coach Charlie Sadler will take over coaching duties on the defensive line.
McNeill's defensive resume is extensive with coordinator stops at Appalachian State (1993-96) and UNLV (1998). A charter member of Leach's staff at Texas Tech, McNeill coached the linebackers for three seasons (2000-02), including the NCAA tackles leader, Lawrence Flugence. McNeill began his career as a linebackers coach at Austin Peay (1987) and followed at North Alabama (1988) and Appalachian State (1989-91) in his first stop at ASU.
Under McNeill's watch the Texas Tech defensive tackles helped the Red Raider defense achieve 33 sacks in 2006.