ARLINGTON, Texas – In the realm of college football, the focus often zooms in on the coach leading the team. For Matt Wells, the former head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the journey from his roots in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, to the podium emblazoned with Texas Tech’s logo has been a testament to his love for the game and the profound influence of his upbringing.
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Introduced as the Red Raiders’ new football coach last December, Wells brought with him a wealth of experience, shaped by his early years spent in the small eastern Oklahoma town of Sallisaw. The connection to his hometown was palpable during his introduction, marked by a lighthearted moment when he acknowledged the linguistic nuances of Texas.
Wells, a Sallisaw native, expressed his excitement during Big 12 football media days about being back within driving distance of his hometown. The significance of this proximity wasn’t lost on him, especially when it came to family.
“It’s nice to be closer to home for my mom to come see us play a little bit,” Wells remarked with a twinkle in his eye. “A bunch of friends and high school coaches have already made the trek down to Lubbock. I don’t get back there near enough.”
The thread that ties Wells to Sallisaw runs deep. Born in South Carolina to Jim and Suzy Wells, an Army dentist stationed at Fort Jackson, Wells moved to Oklahoma before he turned 2. Jim and Suzy, both Oklahomans and University of Oklahoma graduates, instilled a love for their home state and a fascination with Sallisaw in their son.
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Jim Wells, in addition to his dental practice, took on the role of public-address announcer for the Black Diamonds in Sallisaw, immersing young Matt in the Friday night lights of high school football. These experiences laid the foundation for Wells’ multi-sport involvement and shaped his perspective on the culture of Sallisaw.
“Just growing up there … I played three sports,” Wells reminisced. “You grow up, and that’s part of the culture of that town, and my parents raised us that way. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
The cultural imprint of Sallisaw is evident in Wells’ coaching philosophy, where he emphasizes the importance of culture, physicality, toughness, and discipline. His tenure at Utah State showcased a blue-collar mentality, yielding successful seasons and establishing the Aggies as a mid-major program punching above its weight.
Now at Texas Tech, Wells faces the challenge of instilling a similar fighting spirit and passion. He believes in the talent of the Red Raiders and envisions a program that doesn’t need to rebuild but reloads. His roots in Sallisaw and the values instilled by his parents form the core of his coaching ideology.
“It shaped who I am,” Wells affirmed. “It’s the love of the game and the respect of the game that I think was instilled in me at an early age.”
Despite the linguistic adjustments prompted by his return to Texas, including the use of phrases like “ain’t” and “fixin’,” Wells remains grounded in the principles instilled in him in Sallisaw. As he embarks on a new chapter at Texas Tech, the echoes of his hometown and the influence of his parents continue to resonate, guiding the trajectory of his coaching career.
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