Texas Tech defensive coordinator says former coach is giving away signals

Texas Tech interim defensive coordinator Mike Smith says the man he replaced – Matt Wallerstedt – is giving Texas Tech’s defensive signals to opponents.

“They have been passed around. I know other coaches have called and our signals have been passed around the whole time. All I know is karma’s a bad deal, “ Smith told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on Monday.

Wallerstedt resigned as Texas Tech’s defensive coordinator due to “personal reasons” on September 18, less than a week after the Red Raiders’ defense gave up 438 rushing yards in a 49-28 home loss to Arkansas.

During Saturday’s 42-30 loss to Oklahoma, Texas Tech staff members were seen holding towels around the coach giving defensive signals to players in order to shield signals from OU coaches in the press box. TTU head coach Kliff Kingsbury said after the game that the team’s signals had been “passed around” after “the situation we had earlier in the year.”

According to the Avalance-Journal, Kingsbury was referring to Wallerstedt’s resignation.

“I don’t want to get into what’s going on with all that, but it’s not right and, to me, it’s not fair to the kids,” Smith said. “So if that’s how that person wants to handle business, they can handle business that way. I sure hope I don’t run into him anytime soon.”

The Red Raiders’ defense has struggled mightily through 10 games, ranking No. 123 (out of 125 FBS teams) in scoring defense (41.6 points per game), No. 120 in rush defense (259.4 yards per game), No. 119 in total defense (503.6 yards per game) and No. 92 in pass defense (244.2 yards per game).

Smith, who was hired as co-defensive coordinator by Kingsbury prior to the 2013 season along with Wallerstedt, said the issue of other teams knowing their signals arose two or three weeks ago. He wasn’t exactly sure to what extent it has impacted the team’s defense.

“I think it affects you,” Smith said. “I hate having excuses. I won’t have excuses, but when somebody knows when you’re in a certain coverage every time, so I’m sitting there thinking, ‘How the heck are they attacking our corners?’ ‘How do they know we’re not in quarter-quarter-halves?’ ‘How do they know we’re not in cover two?’ I mean, it’s ridiculous. I just thought we’re having a string of bad luck.”

Now 3-7 on the season, the Red Raiders will look to get back in the win column at Iowa State on Saturday.

For more Texas Tech news, visit RedRaiderSports.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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