Football
Rushing, TJ
TJ Rushing
- Title:
- Assistant Coach / Defensive Backs / Pass Game Coordinator
- Email:
- tigers@memphis.edu
- Phone:
- 901-678-5119
Mic'd up with Coach Rushing
TJ Rushing, a former Super Bowl champion with the Indianapolis Colts, is in his second season coaching the defensive backs. Prior to coming to Memphis, he spent four of the last five seasons on the coaching staff at Arizona State after a seven-year professional football career.
In 2017 in Tempe, Rushing tutored freshman All-America cornerback Chase Lucas. Lucas recorded 53 tackles and led the Sun Devils with two interceptions and seven pass breakups.
Prior to his second stint at Arizona State, Rushing spent the 2015 season as a defensive assistant for Stanford. Rushing worked primarily with the cornerbacks and mentored All-Pac-12 performer Ronnie Harris. Rushing was a member of the 2015 Cardinal coaching staff that led Stanford to a 12-2 record, the Pac-12 title (41-22 win over Southern Cal) and a Rose Bowl victory (45-16 win over No. 5 Iowa). The Cardinal finished 2015 No. 3 in both national polls, the program’s highest Association Press (AP) ranking since winning the 1940 national championship.
Rushing coached the cornerbacks at Northern Arizona University in 2014. While in Flagstaff, he mentored a pair of All-Big Sky Conference cornerbacks in Marcus Alford (first team) and Blake Bailey (honorable mention).
In his first stint at Arizona State, Rushing served as a graduate assistant coach in 2012 and was named the defensive quality control coach in 2013.
In 2012, Rushing worked with a Sun Devils secondary that led the Pac-12 in passing defense and passing efficiency defense, and ranked third nationally in the former (167.92 yards per game) and 10th nationally in the latter (105.45). All four starting defensive backs earned All-Pac-12 honors, including cornerbacks Deveron Carr and Osahon Irabor and safeties Alden Darby and Keelan Johnson. The Darby-Johnson tandem combined for eight interceptions on the year.
Rushing was a part of an Indianapolis Colts team that won Super Bowl XLI and AFC championships in 2006 and 2009. He collected 1,290 return yards and a punt return for touchdown with the Colts from 2006-09. He also spent part of the 2010 season with the Detroit Lions.
A two-time All-Pac-10 Conference honoree, including a first-team specialist as a junior, Rushing is one of the top kick returners in Stanford Cardinal history. He tallied 1,409 career return yards (second in school history) and 27.1 yards per return (third in school history). He has three career kickoff returns for touchdowns.
Rushing played in 43 career games with 19 starts at cornerback for the Cardinal. He logged four interceptions and 147 tackles, including 13.0 TFL and 4.0 sacks. Rushing also had 14 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks.
Rushing also was a member of the Stanford track and field team from 2003-04 and competed in the 100 meters, 400-meter relay and 1600-meter relay. He ran the leadoff leg on Stanford’s 400-meter relay team in 2004 that broke the school record with a time of 39.71. He also posted a 10.68 in the 100 meters.
Rushing, who is from Pauls Valley, Okla., and his wife, Taylor, have three children, Collin, Mora and Terrall III.
TJ Rushing, a former Super Bowl champion with the Indianapolis Colts, is in his second season coaching the defensive backs. Prior to coming to Memphis, he spent four of the last five seasons on the coaching staff at Arizona State after a seven-year professional football career.
In 2017 in Tempe, Rushing tutored freshman All-America cornerback Chase Lucas. Lucas recorded 53 tackles and led the Sun Devils with two interceptions and seven pass breakups.
Prior to his second stint at Arizona State, Rushing spent the 2015 season as a defensive assistant for Stanford. Rushing worked primarily with the cornerbacks and mentored All-Pac-12 performer Ronnie Harris. Rushing was a member of the 2015 Cardinal coaching staff that led Stanford to a 12-2 record, the Pac-12 title (41-22 win over Southern Cal) and a Rose Bowl victory (45-16 win over No. 5 Iowa). The Cardinal finished 2015 No. 3 in both national polls, the program’s highest Association Press (AP) ranking since winning the 1940 national championship.
Rushing coached the cornerbacks at Northern Arizona University in 2014. While in Flagstaff, he mentored a pair of All-Big Sky Conference cornerbacks in Marcus Alford (first team) and Blake Bailey (honorable mention).
In his first stint at Arizona State, Rushing served as a graduate assistant coach in 2012 and was named the defensive quality control coach in 2013.
In 2012, Rushing worked with a Sun Devils secondary that led the Pac-12 in passing defense and passing efficiency defense, and ranked third nationally in the former (167.92 yards per game) and 10th nationally in the latter (105.45). All four starting defensive backs earned All-Pac-12 honors, including cornerbacks Deveron Carr and Osahon Irabor and safeties Alden Darby and Keelan Johnson. The Darby-Johnson tandem combined for eight interceptions on the year.
Rushing was a part of an Indianapolis Colts team that won Super Bowl XLI and AFC championships in 2006 and 2009. He collected 1,290 return yards and a punt return for touchdown with the Colts from 2006-09. He also spent part of the 2010 season with the Detroit Lions.
A two-time All-Pac-10 Conference honoree, including a first-team specialist as a junior, Rushing is one of the top kick returners in Stanford Cardinal history. He tallied 1,409 career return yards (second in school history) and 27.1 yards per return (third in school history). He has three career kickoff returns for touchdowns.
Rushing played in 43 career games with 19 starts at cornerback for the Cardinal. He logged four interceptions and 147 tackles, including 13.0 TFL and 4.0 sacks. Rushing also had 14 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks.
Rushing also was a member of the Stanford track and field team from 2003-04 and competed in the 100 meters, 400-meter relay and 1600-meter relay. He ran the leadoff leg on Stanford’s 400-meter relay team in 2004 that broke the school record with a time of 39.71. He also posted a 10.68 in the 100 meters.
Rushing, who is from Pauls Valley, Okla., and his wife, Taylor, have three children, Collin, Mora and Terrall III.
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