Patrick Mahomes’ Unexpected Praise for Texas Tech DC Sparks Buzz After Thrilling BYU Clash

So here’s a question that’s been bouncing around my noggin since the 2025 Big 12 Championship: When a Kansas City Chiefs superstar like Patrick Mahomes plants his flag firmly behind a college defensive coordinator, should the rest of us just pack it up and admit we missed the defensive memo all season? Mahomes, who’s no stranger to jaw-dropping offense, found himself shouting from the rooftops about Texas Tech’s Shiel Wood — a guy who’s been flipping the script on the Red Raiders’ defense in a way that’s making even Chief fans take notice. Seriously, Wood’s makeover of Texas Tech’s defensive unit was on full display against BYU, forcing turnovers like a magician pulling rabbits out of a hat and turning a high-powered offense into a ghost town. The fact that Mahomes couldn’t hold back his praise—even if it was a few days late—makes you wonder: has Wood’s defense just rewritten the playbook on how you win championships? Buckle up, because this isn’t just a shoutout; it’s a spotlight on a coaching prodigy whose impact might just be the story of the season. LEARN MORE

Patrick Mahomes voiced what everyone else was thinking during the 2025 Big 12 Championship Game. The Kansas City Chiefs star loves watching his team’s offense, but was in lockstep with every other college football fan lauding Texas Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood during the Red Raiders’ dominant performance against BYU.

Texas Tech announced during the week leading up to the game that Wood had officially been named a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the best assistant coach in college football. Mahomes was four days late, but could not help himself from shouting out Wood as the “best in the country” while watching his former team shut down BYU’s offense.

Best in the country!!! https://t.co/84q60iOAaH

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) December 6, 2025

Wood was already considered a frontrunner for the award after completely turning Texas Tech’s defense around. He might have secured the award with the Red Raiders’ wholesale shutdown of BYU in the Big 12 Championship Game.

BYU appeared destined to make the rematch a new game after becoming the first team to score against Texas Tech on its opening drive. That ended up being the Cougars’ most successful offensive possession of the game.

Texas Tech held BYU to just 200 yards of total offense while forcing six turnovers and four punts. Wood’s defense held a hobbled Bear Bachmeier to just 115 passing yards, his fewest since his college football debut in Week 1.

Wood joined Joey McGuire’s staff in the offseason after one season as the defensive coordinator at Houston. He has improved every program he has graced since establishing himself as a defensive coordinator with Army in 2020.

Mahomes has kept tabs on his alma mater since graduating in 2017 and is usually a fan of Texas Tech’s fast-paced offense. However, the Red Raiders adopted a defensive mentality under Wood in 2025, which led to star linebacker Jacob Rodriguez emerging as a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate.

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