Matt Wells was relieved of his duties as Texas Tech's head coach on Monday, ending a three-year tenure that saw the program post three-consecutive disappointing seasons . In the aftermath of his dismissal, we look at five key moments that played a role in Wells' unsuccessful stint on the South Plains.

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Few Red Raider fans were sad to see Alan Bowman transfer out of the program at the end of the 2020 season, but he was widely viewed as the future of Texas Tech football at the end of his freshman campaign. He spoke with the media the day of Matt Wells' introductory press conference and confirmed his commitment to stay and play for the Red Raiders and, at the time, that was viewed as a major win by Wells and offensive coordinator David Yost. Bowman never really had a chance to build on his freshman success as a sophomore or develop in Yost's system as he suffered a season-ending injury in the team's non-conference finale against Arizona. Bowman's backup, Jett Duffey, played OK as the team's fill-in starter but wasn't good enough to get the Red Raiders over-the-hump that season.

Entering the 2019 football season, Texas Tech had amassed an overwhelming record 19-1 in its all-time series against Kansas. The Red Raiders had won 12-straight in the series and, heading into their match-up with the Jayhawks that season, appeared primed to snap a two-game losing streak and keep their bowl hopes alive.

Everything went according to plan early in the game, with Texas Tech racing out to a 17-0 lead in the first half. Kansas closed to within three at halftime, but the Red Raiders responded and built their lead back up to 13 points midway through the third quarter. From there, the collapse was on as Texas Tech's defense gave up a 65-yard touchdown pass and a 70-yard touchdown pass on back-to-back drives. The Red Raiders responded with a fourth quarter touchdown of their own to take a lead, but Kansas tied the game with five minutes to go.

With a chance to drive down the field for a go-ahead touchdown or field goal, the Red Raider offense was absolutely abysmal and went 3-and-out despite a 9-yard gain on first down. Kansas' offense took advantage. The Jayhawks marched to the Texas Tech 22-yard line and, with 13 seconds left, lined up for a game-winning 40-yard field goal.

The following sequence may very well be what endures the longest from Wells' tenure in Lubbock. Nick McCann blocked the Kansas field goal and the ball was recovered by Douglas Coleman. Instead of simply falling on the ball and advancing to overtime, Coleman had his eyes on the endzone. Unfortunately for the Red Raiders, the ball was knocked out of his hands and recovered by Kansas' Kevin Feder with two seconds left, giving the Jayhawks time to kick the game-winning 32-yard field goal.

Texas Tech fans could be excused for viewing the program's four-win 2019 season as a bump in the road to progress, lumps largely taken due to the previous staff's failures and the season-ending injury to Alan Bowman in the third game of the season.

That belief was likely reinforced for much of the afternoon of Sept. 26, 2020, where the Red Raiders fought and clawed back from a 10-point halftime deficit and, after a 75-yard touchdown run by SaRodorick Thompson, led No. 8 Texas 56-41 with 3:13 to go.

Texas Tech was a mere 193 seconds away from its first home victory over the Longhorns since 2008 and only the second in the last 20 years. What followed was a collapse that will be remembered in Lubbock for years to come.

The Red Raiders got cute with their kick-off to Texas and the Longhorns started with the ball on their own 41-yard line. Four plays later, UT was in the endzone and what had been a 15-point lead was now an 8-point lead.

Texas recovered the ensuing onside kick, because of course, with 2:39 left to play and methodically drove 42-yards down the field, scored a touchdown on an 18-yard pass and then converted the two-point try.

Collapse complete.

Texas Tech had 40 seconds to try and drive down the field to win the game but managed just 13 yards before it punted the ball away with nine seconds left to play.

The Longhorns diced up the Red Raider defense in overtime, scoring a touchdown in just three plays. The home side moved backwards four yards and ended the game with a Bowman interception.

The 2021 season was expected to represent a step forward for Matt Wells' Texas Tech program. He and his staff had rebuilt the roster with an influx of transfers over the last two seasons and the team's competitive showings over the course of the 2020 campaign gave rise to optimism that the Red Raiders were close to turning a corner.

Instead, it was more like a U-turn.

The first sign was the team's 70-35 blowout loss to Texas at the end of September, Texas Tech's first loss after starting off with wins over Houston, Stephen F. Austin and FIU. The Red Raiders quickly rebounded the following week with a gutty road win over West Virginia.

Wells and his Texas Tech team returned home with an opportunity against TCU. The Horned Frogs were reeling after two-straight losses and, for the first time ever under Gary Patterson, had allowed 30-plus points in three consecutive games. The Red Raiders, with a win, would move to 5-1 and have an opportunity to clinch bowl eligibility the following week in Lawrence.

Except things didn't go according to plan.

The game was effectively over after a Henry Colombi pick-six made it 28-7 less than 15 seconds into the second quarter. TCU ran all over Texas Tech's defense, piling up 394 yards on just 47 carries. Quarterback Max Duggan only passed 10 times all game.

The writing was on the wall at that point, just waiting for the punctuation that would come two weeks later.

It was all going according to plan at first. Texas Tech led 14-0 early in the first quarter and Kansas State looked completely out of sorts. But the Red Raiders made just enough mistakes to keep the Wildcats within striking distance: an opportunity to go up 28-7 midway through the second quarter squandered by Henry Colombo throwing into triple coverage and getting picked off; a quick defensive stand to start the second half turned into a safety after an excellent punt and an offensive line miscue; a T.J. Storment holding call derailing an opportunity to go back up by two scores early in the fourth quarter.

The most egregious mistake was Devin Drew's personal foul penalty that allowed the Wildcats to convert a 3rd and 34 opportunity. The Wildcats scored the go-ahead touchdown five plays later. Texas Tech's offense barely mustered a response, failing to cross midfield before turning the ball over on downs.

That loss marked the fifth time in Wells' final 20 conference games that the Red Raiders blew a fourth quarter lead.