Matt Wells’ staff found out with nearly half the season left that they were out of work next season. They had to immediately start looking for another gig to provide for their own families, and nobody would have been that surprised if they checked out a bit in the process.
Instead, this staff did the opposite. Led by the interim headman Sonny Cumbie, this staff injected a new culture and sense of pride in Texas Tech football. West Texas and the Pumpjack became the rallying cry for a city and fanbase desperate for something to believe in on the gridiron.