Josh Bookbinder was hired as the next defensive coordinator for the UTPB football team in January 2026. The Falcons recently named Chris Softley as the head coach, and Softley quickly sought out a defensive mind with a wealth of experience at a high level. Bookbinder is a former TCU and Texas Tech standout coach, is known for helping develop Big 12 tackle leader and All-American Jacob Rodriguez, is a 30-Under-30 Coaches Leadership Institute alum.
Bookbinder was hired for the Defensive Coordinator position at UTPB due to his impressive track record of developing elite linebackers and his extensive experience coaching at the highest levels of college football. Last season, he served at TCU, and previously, he served three seasons at Texas Tech, where Bookbinder played a pivotal role in the development of standout players like All-Big 12 selection Jacob Rodriguez, who led the conference in tackles and earned multiple national honors in 2024. His position group consistently ranked among the best, contributing to the Red Raiders’ success, including three consecutive bowl appearances and a record six Big 12 wins in 2024—the program’s most since 2009. Prior to Texas Tech, Bookbinder had a successful tenure at Baylor, where he helped the Bears win the Big 12 Championship in 2021 and coached linebackers to high levels of performance. His earlier coaching career at Liberty saw him mentor multiple All-Big South linebackers and contribute to a top-ranked defense. Bookbinder’s deep understanding of defensive schemes, player development, and his proven ability to adapt and thrive in both Power Four and FCS settings make him an ideal fit for UTPB’s goals of building a competitive football program. His leadership, expertise in linebacker development, and experience under renowned coaches, combined with his strong family ties to the Texas football community, position him as the right candidate to elevate UTPB’s defense and help drive the program’s success moving forward.
Bookbinder comes to Odessa from TCU, where he served as an assistant linebackers coach for one season.
Before TCU, Bookbinder was in Lubbock, coaching the inside linebackers at Texas Tech for three seasons. During his time with the Red Raiders, he coached Jacob Rodriguez, who led the Big 12 in tackles and earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors, as well as All-America recognition. Alongside Rodriguez was Ben Roberts, who was the 2023 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American.
Before Bookbinder got to Lubbock, he was in Waco coaching at Baylor as the defensive quality control coach for three seasons from 2019-2021.
His prior experience also includes a six-year stint at Liberty from 2012 to 2018. He began as the defensive quality control coach before taking over as special teams coordinator, and then he led the outside linebackers and linebackers.
A 2009 Baylor graduate, Bookbinder is the grandson of legendary Bears Head Coach Grant Teaff. Bookbinder began his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant at his alma mater before moving on to roles at Richmond and Carson-Newman, prior to his time at Liberty. He is a San Antonio native and 2016 participant in the NCAA/AFCA 30-Under-30 Coaches Leadership Institute.
Bookbinder and his wife, Ashley, have two sons, Grant and Walt, and a daughter, Annie.
