Wells was named head football coach at Texas Tech University on November 29, 2018, and led the team until his firing midway through the 2021 season.

Following the 2011 season, USU offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin left the program to take a similar position at Colorado State.

The Aggies finished the season with a record of 11–2, a 41–15 victory over Toledo in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, and ranked 16th in the AP Poll.

[8] The season again began with a 38–7 loss against the Tennessee Volunteers, but the Aggies rebounded with home wins against Idaho State and Wake Forest.

After dropping an overtime decision to Arkansas State, the Aggies came back to resoundingly defeat #18 BYU in Provo for the first time since 1978, by a score of 35–20.

[10] After opening conference play with a win against Air Force, Garretson was lost to a broken wrist in a loss to Colorado State, and replaced by third-string quarterback Craig Harrison, who was injured in the next game.

[13] In 2015, Wells led Utah State to six wins and its fifth-straight bowl game as the Aggies had 12 players earn various all-Mountain West honors, which were the third-most in the conference.

Utah State also had five players invited to postseason All-Star games/camps, while three Aggies participated in the NFL Combine in Fackrell, Hunter Sharp and Nick Vigil.

Furthermore, USU had two players selected in the 2016 NFL draft in Vigil and Fackrell, both in the third round, while six other Aggies signed free agent contracts and two more were invited to rookie mini-camps.

During the 2016 season, Utah State had six players earn various all-Mountain West honors as it lost five conference games by a combined 29 points (5.8 ppg).

In 2017, Wells led Utah State to six wins and its sixth bowl game in the past seven seasons as the Aggies had six players earn various all-Mountain West honors.

Additionally, senior cornerback Jalen Davis became just the ninth first-team All-America in school history and was named an All-American by four different publications, including the Walter Camp Football Foundation, who voted him to their first team.

USU also had two players sign NFL free agent contracts following the season in Davis and Dallin Leavitt, while Braelon Roberts was invited to a rookie mini-camp.

Utah State boasted one of the most dynamic offenses in the country in 2018, averaging 47.5 points per game, which only trailed Oklahoma among schools nationally.

It wasn't only the offense that pushed the Aggies as Utah State led or shared the national lead in turnovers gained (32), passes intercepted (22), kickoff return average (30.3) and three-and-outs forced (5.7 per game).

[15] In his inaugural game at the helm of the Red Raiders program on August 31, 2019, Wells led Texas Tech to a 45–10 victory over Montana State in the season opener at Jones AT&T Stadium.