A seven-year extension raises the pressure for Joey McGuire. Tapping into a ‘prove it’ mode, the Texas Tech head coach is now strengthening the program’s pillars. The Red Raiders are on the verge of closing a deal with a longtime Minnesota Vikings coach.

“Two sources with direct knowledge say Texas Tech is finalizing the hire of Imarjaye Albury Sr. as defensive line coach,” reported Lubbock Avalanche-Journal sportswriter Don Williams. “He’s assistant defensive line coach with the Minnesota Vikings and has been on the Vikings’ staff for six years.”

The Red Raiders’ defensive line had been coached by Zarnell Stephen Fitch since 2022. However, after four years, he will not be returning for another season. McGuire hired him away from TCU in 2022. A Texas Tech athletics spokesperson confirmed Wednesday, Feb. 4, that Fitch’s one-year deal expired Jan. 31 and will not be renewed. That’s why McGuire is now drawn towards the Minnesota Vikings’ coach. Albury will be bringing six years of coaching experience, both collegiate and professional, to Lubbock.

In Minnesota, he worked as a pro scout under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in 2022. The preceding two seasons (2020–21) saw him taking care of defensive quality control and assistant linebackers. McGuire’s latest coaching interest then logged back-to-back years as a defensive assistant before landing the assistant defensive line coach role ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Two sources with direct knowledge say Texas Tech is finalizing the hire of Imarjaye Albury Sr. as defensive line coach. He’s assistant defensive line coach with the Minnesota Vikings and has been on the Vikings’ staff for six years.

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— Don Williams (@AJ_DonWilliams) February 12, 2026

While he has donned a lot of hats, what do the grades in his coaching report card show? Minnesota’s 14-3 campaign in 2024 came with a playoff push. In that season, the Vikings’ defense led the NFL in interceptions (24). His unit also topped in passes defensed, fourth-down stops, and interceptions per attempt.

Even before coaching, Albury left a mark as a player, earning Florida International’s MVP award in 2016. The Red Raiders’ defense is already elite, and that’s the challenge for the NFL coach. Texas Tech topped the FBS in rushing defense and takeaways and finished third in scoring defense and total defense. 

So, McGuire’s new hire will not be here to rebuild. Rather, his task will be to keep the standard rolling and to get better. And as Texas Tech is finalizing Albury’s hire, the NFL struck and left another gaping void in McGuire’s staff by taking away one of its coaches. 

Joey McGuire lost C.J. Ah You to an NFL giant

There was a buzz that the Pittsburgh Steelers had been in touch with McGuire’s outside linebackers coach, C.J. Ah You. Three days after the interview, the $6.5 billion NFL giant sealed the deal, offering him the same role.

It has indeed been a tough loss for McGuire because Ah You had served the Red Raiders since 2022. His guidance developed Tyree Wilson into an All-American and first-round draft pick. His best work may have come in 2025, when David Bailey and Romello Height both took off.

One earned the All-American honors, and the other landed First-Team All-Big 12. As McGuire keeps pushing to fill the gaps in the coaching roster, there are already too many things on his plate. 

The Texas Tech head coach will now have to find the best replacement for Jacob Rodriguez. He was the spark plug behind the turnover machine. As Texas Tech terrorized offenses and finished atop the nation with 32 takeaways, the linebacker picked off four passes and forced seven fumbles, more than any player in the FBS in 2025.

After a heroic season, he received an invitation to this year’s NFL Combine. So, with tasks still lined up, landing Imarjaye Albury Sr. would be the biggest momentum boost for Joey McGuire.