TJ Rushing is officially Texas A&M’s new defensive backs coach. The program announced the hire on Friday. Billy Liucci of TexAgs reported Rushing was heading to College Station on Monday.

“TJ has an outstanding track record of playing, teaching and developing quality defensive backs,” coach Jimbo Fisher said in the school’s announcement. “He is a tireless worker, an outstanding recruiter and he coaches with a lot of fire and enthusiasm. He will make a great addition to our coaching staff.”

Rushing was last hired by Florida State, but is not connected to the Fisher era at FSU. Rushing followed new Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell from Memphis as part of Norvell’s initial Florida State staff.

For the past two seasons, Rushing was defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator at Memphis. During the 2018 and ’19 seasons, the Tigers defense snagged 18 interceptions and forced 37 total turnovers, returning four for touchdowns. Rushing played at Stanford from 2002-06 and in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts (2006-09) and Detroit Lions (2010) and then one season in the CFL (2012 -Saskatchewan Roughriders) before going into coaching.

Rushing replaces Maurice Linguist, who left to take a position with the Dallas Cowboys.

Coaching Experience
2012 – Arizona State, Graduate Assistant
2013 – Arizona State, Defensive Quality Control
2014 – Northern Arizona, Cornerbacks
2015 – Stanford, Defensive Assistant
2016-17 – Arizona State, Defensive Backs
2018-19 – Memphis, Passing Game Coord./Defensive Backs
2020-present – Texas A&M, Defensive Backs