DB coach Marcel Yates set to follow Tim DeRuyter to Texas Tech

Marcel Yates will stay and coach the defensive backs through the Alamo Bowl, but then he’s off to Texas Tech to follow Tim DeRuyter.

In a move that was entirely expected, Oregon Ducks defensive backs coach Marcel Yates is following defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter to Texas Tech to take over the same role for the Red Raiders.

The move was reported by Bruce Feldman of The Athletic on December 8, and confirmed by a source via ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg on Monday.

Rittenberg reported that Yates will remain with Oregon through the Alamo Bowl.

Yates has a lengthy coaching history, having coached at Boise State from 2003-2011 as the defensive backs coach before heading to Texas Tech for two seasons as co-defensive coordinator. He ended up back in Boise for two seasons as the defensive coordinator in 2014-2015, before taking over as DC at Arizona from 2016-2019.

One season as defensive backs coach at Cal in 2020 was his final stop before landing at Oregon, where he coached an elite group of defensive backs including Verone McKinley III, Mykael Wright, Bennett Williams, and DJ Johnson.

Now he will once again follow DeRuyter, heading back to Texas Tech after spending the last six seasons in the Pac-12.

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