Coach Profile | Defensive Coordinator Matt Wallerstedt

Coach: Matt Wallerstedt
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Alma Mater: Kansas State
Coaching Experience:
1998: Kansas State, Student Assistant, Defensive Backs
1989-1990: Arizona State, Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line
1994-1995: Fort Hays, Defensive Line
1996: Emporia State, Defensive Backs
1997-2002: Wyoming, Defensive Coordinator, Inside Linebackers, Defensive Line
2003: North Alabama, Defensive Coordinator, Inside Linebackers
2004-2005: Akron, Associate Head Coach, Special Teams, Inside Linebackers
2006-2007: Kansas St., Special Teams Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator, Linebackers
2008-2009: Air Force, Assistant Head Coach, Inside Linebackers
2010-2011: Air Force, Associate Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Inside Linebackers
2012: Texas A&M, Linebackers

Per RRS.com’s Chris Level, Texas Tech has found their defensive coordinator:

I can confirm that Texas A&M linebackers coach Matt Wallerstedt has agreed to become #TexasTech's defensive coordinator.

— Chris Level (@ChrisLevel) January 13, 2013

Now it’s time to get to that profile of Wallerstedt that I’ve had written for two weeks.

Wallerstedt has been around the block. That’s a lot of different schools and a lot of colleges. Wallerstedt has been the guy that most people have been focused on since Dave Aranda stuck with Gary Andersen to go to Wisconsin to be the defensive coordinator there. It’s interesting in that two Aggie coaches have gone to Air Force of all places to find their defensive coordinators, or co-defensive coordinators. Mike Sherman hired Tim DeRuyter, who eventually took the job at Fresno St., and now Wallerstedt, who was the linebackers coach at Texas A&M.

The other interesting thing is that Wallerstedt took somewhat of a demotion to come to Texas A&M, but maybe that’s something that you have to do to get a bigger coordinator job.

One other minor note is that Wallerstedt is a Kansas St. alum, and so is Kirby Hocutt. I don’t think that the years that they were there match up, but they both know Snyder and they both probably speak the same language on some level. Both played linebacker for Snyder. I am sure this is Kingsbury’s hire, but I would guess that they talked a bit too.

As far as the actual defenses are concerned, I’m going to just go back to Wallerstedt’s coordinating of Air Force’s defense in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, Air Force was 103rd in rushing defense, 2nd in passing defense and 37th in total defense. In 2011, Air Force was 109th in rushing defense, 7th in pass defense and 65th in total defense. I don't know if these numbers are anything more than being the defensive coordinator in a BCS world where everyone is bigger than you. I would add that in 2009, the Air Force defense under Tim DeRuyter was 47th in rushing defense, 5th in pass defense and 11th in total defense. I don't know if that was because DeRuyter was so good, and from all indications, DeRuyter knew what he was doing.

There was also some thought that the Texas Tech defensive coordinator job was between Wallerstedt and Marcel Yates, the co-defensive coordinator at TAMU. Yates had never called a full defense, so it was interesting that Yates was an option. Yates had the Boise St. pedigree and had done a terrific job of being in charge of some excellent secondaries, but he never actually called plays.

As far as Wallerstedt’s work, I’ve included some video below from the spring. Lots of football things there. The Aggie defense was 57th overall, 35th against the run and 86th against the pass. TAMU had some pretty good talent to work with.

It’s not a problem or question for me, but there is the thought that there might be some duplication with Wallerstedt and Mike Smith, the co-defensive coordinator, since they both coached linebackers. As bad as the Texas Tech linebackers played, generally speaking, I’m fine with them getting some more attention and coaching. Besides, I think that Smith coached outside linebackers in a 3-4, which is similar to the defensive end spot.

I’ll be really interested to read what type of defense that Texas Tech will employ. What’s one more scheme. I tend to think you’ll see a base 4-3 with one of those defensive ends being a joker like Ruffin McNeill used to employ and like you saw Damontre Moore with Texas A&M. A sometimes stand-up defensive end. A 4-3 with some 3-4 options.