NCAAF teams
Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Mike Smith: Ex-DC tipping off foes

College Football, Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech interim defensive coordinator Mike Smith blasted former Red Raiders defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt on Monday, accusing him of giving away the team's defensive signals to opponents.

"It's not right to me, it's not fair to the kids," Smith told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "So if that's how that person wants to handle business, they can handle business that way.

"I sure hope I don't run into him anytime soon."

Wallerstedt abruptly resigned Sept. 18 after sources told ESPN.com the coach was suspected of being under the influence of an unknown substance while on campus. Kliff Kingsbury replaced Wallerstedt with Smith, who had been coaching linebackers.

Wallerstedt has since been hired as a defensive consultant at Louisiana-Lafayette, and denied the accusations through his attorney.

"I have not shared with anyone the Red Raiders defensive signals. I respect the players at Texas Tech and would never do such a thing." Wallerstedt said in a statement. "It sounds like something that's done in the political arena - blaming someone else for what you now control. Coach Kingsbury and Smith would do well to simply execute their own game plan instead of trying to blame others for what may be their own shortcomings."

After giving up 384 yards on the ground in a 42-30 loss to Oklahoma over the weekend, Tech dropped to 122nd nationally in total defense.

Smith said the Tech staff suspected their defensive signals had been comprised before the Oklahoma game. After he and others on the staff asked around, Smith charged that Wallerstedt had offered Tech's signals to other opponents, too.

"I know other coaches have called and our signals have been passed around the whole time," Smith said. "I do believe in karma, and I believe stuff like that will come back and haunt you."

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