Texas Tech University Athletics
Perry tabbed Special Teams Coach of the Year
December 10, 2025 | Football
Kenny Perry was honored by FootballScoop.com after helping lead Texas Tech to a Big 12 title
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech associate head coach and special teams coordinator Kenny Perry was recognized nationally by his peers Wednesday as he was tabbed the Special Teams Coach of the Year by the website FootballScoop.com.
Texas Tech's rise to its first Big 12 title and the College Football Playoff has largely been praised for its stingy defense and another high-scoring offense. Perry's special teams units have done their part, however, as a key aspect of Texas Tech's weekly Plan to Win strategy, pushing the Red Raiders to a 12-1 record entering the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
The Red Raiders have combined to block five kicks this season, which is tied with Penn State for the most in the FBS. Texas Tech has been among the most-aggressive teams in the country under Perry, blocking a total of 14 kicks during his four seasons, which leads all Big 12 programs during that span and ranks in the top five nationally.
Texas Tech is also the only team in the country to rank in the top 20 for both kick return average and kickoff return defense this season. The Red Raiders are averaging 27.75 yards a return thus far this season, which ranks fourth in the FBS and leads all Big 12 programs. On the other side, opponents are only averaging 16.5 yards a return against the Red Raiders, which ranks second in the Big 12 and 16th nationally.
Perry's scheme is about finding extra yards or explosive plays through special teams, a trait the Red Raiders have become known for under his direction. Texas Tech has one special teams touchdown this season, which came via a J'Koby Williams 99-yard kickoff return to kick off a 42-0 rout over Oklahoma State. Williams was a finalist this season for the Paul Hornung Award, presented to the nation's most-versatile player.
Individually, Perry has developed kicker Stone Harrington from an unknown walk-on to begin his career to Texas Tech's everyday kicker. Harrington is 22-of-27 on field goal attempts already this season with nine makes from at least 40 yards, including three from 50-plus yards. Harrington currently ranks tied for sixth in the FBS for made field goals and is among the most proficient kickoff specialists in the country with 75 of his 102 attempts going for touchbacks.
Thanks to Texas Tech's high-scoring offense, punter Jack Burgess has been called on only 40 times this season but is averaging 43.4 yards an attempt with 21 that have been downed inside the 20. Opponents have only returned nine of those punts at an average of 6.8 yards.
Perry was one of several Texas Tech staff members that were named finalists for FootballScoop's various Coach of the Year awards. In addition to Perry, Shiel Wood was a finalist for the top defensive coordinator in the country and linebackers coach, an honor he shared with outside linebackers coach C.J. Ah You. Zarnell Fitch was also a finalist for Defensive Line Coach of the Year, while James Blanchard and Antonio Huffman were recognized among top general managers and operations staffers.
FootballScoop's top honors are selected based on nominations by coaches, athletics directors and athletic department personnel from across the country. The prior winners of the award select that season's recipient annually.
