Texas Tech Football: Red Raider Robert Prunty Among Top National Recruiters

The 2011 Texas Tech Football recruiting class is arguably the best group ever assembled by Red Raider recruiters.

Ranked nationally No. 19 by Rivals.com, the Red Raiders averaged 3.15 star ratings over their 27 signees for 2011—all high watermarks for a school that has never been considered a recruiting powerhouse.

So, what was the difference-maker for Texas Tech in 2011?

One of the major factors for the Red Raiders in regards to successful recruiting is Texas Tech DE/OLB coach Robert Prunty, who landed OLB Branden Jackson (four stars by Scout.com/three stars by Rivals.com, from McKeesport, Pa., ranked No. 9 OLB nationally), LB Desmion Green (three stars, from Clariton, Pa.), ATH J.J. Gaines (three stars from Nimitz HS in Irving, Texas) and DE Leon Mackey (four stars by Rivals.com/three stars by Scout.com, from Hinds JC in Raymond, Miss., ranked the No. 8 junior college player nationally).

Prunty’s recruiting success in 2011 has led to him being named the Big 12 Recruiter of the Year (Scout.com/FoxSports.com), Scout.com’s “Midlands” Recruiter of the Year and was listed among the Top 25 Recruiters Nationally by both Rivals.com and ESPN.com.

So, who is Robert Prunty and what is he doing at Texas Tech University?

Prunty hails from Chatham, Va., and is a 1983 graduate of Hargrave Military Academy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Alabama A&M (Huntsville, Ala.) in 1988.

Prunty was previously the head coach at Gretna High School in Gretna, Va., where he took a program that lost 44 consecutive games (1991-95) to an 11-1 mark during his final season there in 2001.

From Gretna, Prunty moved on to take the head job at his alma mater, Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., where 27 of his former players have gone on to enjoy NFL careers.

Since 1999, six Hargrave alumni have been NFL first-round draft picks.

Prunty joined Tommy Tuberville’s staff at Texas Tech in 2010 as defensive ends/outside linebackers coach. 

Prunty’s lengthy tenure on the East Coast was obviously advantageous to Tech, allowing the Red Raiders to recruit effectively in other parts of the country. 

Coach Robert Prunty (via his outstanding contributions both on and off the field) may well be one of the unheralded keys to taking Texas Tech Football to the next level.

Perhaps Prunty is just the sort of guy that the casual fan asks, “Who is that?” when the Red Raiders finally exit the field with a championship trophy in hand.