As Tommy Tuberville went through his first season as coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, he encountered hurdles expected and unexpected.

Simply winning games was the biggest bugaboo as the Raiders started the season 4-4 and finished Big 12 Conference play with a sub-par 3-5 record. But when Tech won four of its last five games -- including a 45-38 victory over Northwestern in the Texas City Bowl -- school administrators were convinced Tuberville was their man to lead them into the future.

So without much fanfare, Tuberville was given a one-year extension and a $500,000 a year raise that runs his annual average salary to $2 million a year and keep him with the Raiders through 2015.

"I am grateful to the university for believing in our vision for this football program and I am thrilled to be a Red Raider," Tuberville said. "My family and myself have been embraced warmly by this community and all of Red Raider Nation, and I believe that unity was a major contributor is us winning eight games the first year along with a bowl championship.

"Texas Tech is a tremendous place and together we can achieve our goals of graduating student-athletes and winning football games."

Tech returns 53 lettermen from a squad that was 8-5 last season. It marked the 16th consecutive year the Raiders produced a winning record, and ninth straight season where they won eight or more games.

The Raiders have seven offensive starters back and eight defensive starters returning. And while those are nice workable numbers for Tuberville, he knows his defense has to be better than they were last year.

In three of their losses last season the Raiders allowed at least 45 points. That includes losses to Iowa State (52-38), Texas A&M (45-27) and Oklahoma (45-7).

Tech will be attempting to improve their defense with a new defensive coordinator. The Raiders' old defensive coordinator -- James Willis -- was with the Raiders less than a year when he was released just before the Ticket City Bowl.

The new defensive coordinator, Chad Glasgow, is expected to implement a 4-2-5 defense.

Tech also must find a starting quarterback after losing seniors Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield via graduation. And the Raiders have to replace senior receivers Detron Lewis and Lyle Leong.

Potts owns several school records and completed 369 of 551 passes last year for 3,726 yards and 35 touchdowns. Lewis had 87 receptions for 852 yards and six TD's, and Leong had 74 catches for 926 yards and was second in the nation in TD receptions with 19.

The Raiders will hold their spring game on March 26

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