University of Tennessee Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Co-Defensive Coordinator / Outside Linebackers
Chris Rumph, a four-year letterwinner at linebacker at South Carolina in the early 1990s, enters his second season as the co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
He came to Tennessee after spending three years as the defensive line coach at Florida, serving as co-defensive coordinator and interim defensive coordinator in 2017.
In 2018, Rumph helped a UT defense improve 74 spots in run defense and 45 spots in third down defense as redshirt junior linebacker Darrell Taylor had a breakout season with eight sacks and 11 tackles for loss, including a pair of three-sack games.
He has over 17 years of experience as a defensive assistant at the FBS level, including stops at Texas, where he coached NFL first-round pick Malcom Brown, and Alabama, where he won back-to-back BCS National Championships as the defensive line coach from 2011 to 2013.
Rumph also has coached at Clemson, Memphis and South Carolina State. He has coached 24 NFL Draft picks.
THE RUMPH FILE
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Born: December 21, 1971
Hometown: St. Matthews, S.C.
Education: Bachelor's Degree (South Carolina '94)
Playing Experience: South Carolina - LB (1991-94)
Wife: Kila
Children: Christopher, Elijah
Coaching History
1997 (Spring): South Carolina, Graduate Asst.
1997-2001: Calhoun County HS (S.C.), Head Coach
2002: South Carolina State, DBs
2003-05: Memphis, Outside LBs
2006-10: Clemson, Defensive Line / DEs
2011-13: Alabama, Defensive Line
2014: Texas, Asst. Head Coach for Defense/ DL
2015-16: Florida, Defensive Line
2017: Florida, Co-Defensive Coord. / DL
2018-present: Tennessee, Co-Defensive Coord. / Outside LBs
Tennessee (2018-Present)
In his first season at Tennessee, Rumph served as the co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach. The Vol defense was one of the most improved in the FBS in 2018, improving 74 spots in run defense with opponents rushing for nearly 100 yards less than in 2017 (251 yards in 2017 to 154 yards in 2018). The Vol defense also jumped up 45 spots nationally in third-down defense with opponents converting just 39 percent of their third downs in 2018 compared to 45 percent in 2017.
Under the guidance of Rumph, Taylor emerged as a standout player in 2018 leading the Vols in both sacks (8.0), tackles for loss (11.0), forced fumbles (3) and fumble recoveries (2) en route to Team MVP honors.
Taylor earned Bednarik National Player of the Week, Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors after his four-sack performance in the win over No. 12 Kentucky. Taylor’s four-sack effort was only the third in UT history.
Additionally, Taylor recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles to go along with six tackles at Georgia. He was one of two Power-5 players with multiple three-sack games in 2018.
Florida (2015-17)
Rumph joined the Gators’ staff as a defensive line coach in 2015 and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator prior to the 2017 season. He served as the Gators full-time defensive coordinator for the final four games of the season after Randy Shannon was promoted to interim head coach. During his tenure in Gainesville, UF produced a bevy of talent along the defensive line, including five NFL Draft picks in Taven Bryan (2018). Caleb Brantley (2017), Joey Ivie (2017), Alex McCalister (2016) and Jonathan Bullard (2016).
Bryan became the third Rumph defensive line product to be drafted in the first round in 2018 after a season where he captured All-SEC Second Team honors and totaled 40 tackles, six TFLs and four sacks for the Gators.
Brantley garnered All-SEC second-team honors in 2016 while Bullard was named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and was a unanimous All-SEC first-team selection in 2015. Bullard was also named a first-team All-American by CBSSports.com and Pro Football Focus before being selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Rumph also coached defensive tackle Bryan Cox Jr., who signed as a free agent with the Carolina Panthers before this season.
Under Rumph’s direction in 2016, Florida ranked fifth in the SEC in rushing defense (144.5 ypg) and finished fourth in the conference with 31 sacks. The Gators owned four of the 20 lowest-allowed rushing totals by SEC teams throughout the 2016 season (North Texas, -13 net rushing yards; Georgia, 21; South Carolina, 43; and UMass, 46).
In 2015, the Gators were one of the nation’s best at getting to the quarterback, registering 40 sacks, which ranked fifth nationally and tied for the sixth highest total in program history. Florida also featured a stout rush defense that ranked 25th in the country, giving up just 128.1 yards per game on the ground. The Gators held their opponents to only 3.53 yards per carry, which ranked tied for 17th among FBS programs.
Texas (2014)
Before heading to Florida, Rumph spent one season at Texas as the program’s assistant head coach for defense/defensive line. Under Rumph’s mentorship, the Longhorns had one of the nation’s top defensive lines and ranked 12th in the country with 40 sacks. Texas finished the season ranked 26th in the FBS in total defense (348.5 ypg).
The Longhorn’s 2014 defense was led by defensive tackle Malcom Brown, who was a consensus All-American and a finalist for the Nagurski and Outland Trophies. Brown was selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Fellow defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway also had a big season for the Longhorns, ranking second on the team with six sacks – which also ranked second among defensive tackles in the Big 12 – and 11 tackles for loss. Ridgeway was a fourth-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Alabama (2011-13)
Rumph spent three seasons as defensive line coach for Nick Saban at Alabama from 2011-13 and was part of the Crimson Tide’s back-to-back BCS national championship teams in 2011 and 2012. During his time in Tuscaloosa, Rumph also coached with current Vols head man Jeremy Pruitt for two seasons (2011 and 2012).
Alabama ranked fifth nationally in total defense (286.5 yards per game) in 2013 and seventh in rush defense (106.2 yards per game). Defensive end Ed Stinson earned All-SEC second-team accolades for the Tide.
The Crimson Tide featured the country’s top-ranked scoring, total and rushing defense in 2012, allowing just 10.9 points per game, 250.0 yards per game and 76.4 yards rushing per game. Alabama’s stifling defense saved its best performance for last as the Tide shut out top-ranked LSU in the national title game by a score of 21-0. Bama surrendered just five first downs and allowed LSU to cross the 50-yard line just once the entire game.
Alabama’s 2011 defense was one of the most dominant in the history of college football.
The Crimson Tide allowed just 8.2 points per game and gave up 183.6 total yards per contest, the fewest by an FBS team in records dating to 1996. UA also led the country in passing defense (111.5 ypg) and rushing defense (72.2 ypg).
The 2011 team featured five players along the defensive line that would end up being drafted by NFL teams: NT Josh Chapman, DE Quinton Dial, DT Jesse Williams, DE Jeoffrey Pagan and DE Ed Stinson. Chapman earned All-SEC second-team honors that season. In total, Rumph coached five NFL Draft picks on the defensive line during his three-year stint with the Crimson Tide.
Clemson (2006-10)
Rumph was hired as Clemson’s defensive line coach in 2006, serving in the role until 2009 when he focused solely on the Tigers’ defensive ends. The Tigers ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and total defense during each of Rumph’s five seasons at Clemson.
In 2010, Rumph coached unanimous All-American defensive end Da’Quan Bowers, who led the nation in sacks (15.5) and was tied for first in tackles-for-loss (26.0). He won both the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player, and the Hendricks Award as the nation’s top defensive end, and was a second-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay.
In Rumph’s first year with the Tigers, he worked with defensive end Gaines Adams, who was the fourth overall selection in the 2007 draft by Tampa Bay after receiving unanimous All-America honors as a senior. Adams tallied 12.5 sacks to rank fourth in the nation.
In his five-year career at Clemson, Rumph coached nine NFL draft picks and four All-ACC selections.
Memphis (2003-05)
Rumph served as the outside linebackers coach at Memphis from 2003-05, helping lead the Tigers to three consecutive bowl games, including a pair of bowl victories in 2003 and 2005. Memphis won 24 games during his three seasons on staff.
The Memphis defense ranked 23rd in the nation in turnover margin in 2005 when the Tigers posted a 7-5 record. The defensive unit allowed just 125.6 yards per game on the ground, first in Conference USA and 27th in the nation. Two of Rumph’s players, Tim Goodwell and Carlton Baker, were the top two tacklers on the defense. Goodwell led the team in tackles with 102 and Baker had 88, including a team best five sacks.
In 2004, Goodwell and fellow linebackers Carlton Baker and Quinton McCrary were three of the top four tacklers on the team, accounting for 284 of the team’s total tackles. Rumph’s linebackers also logged 10 of the team’s 23 sacks in 2004 as Memphis started the year 5-1 and was ranked in the top 25 of the Associated Press poll, the first top 25 ranking in the history of the program.
During Rumph’s first year at Memphis in 2003, the Tigers finished the year ranked ninth in the nation in total defense, while linebacker Coot Terry was named to the All-Conference USA team.
South Carolina State (2002)
Rumph served as South Carolina State’s defensive backs coach in 2002 after a five-year stint as head coach at Calhoun County High School.
Pre-College Coaching Career
Rumph was a successful head coach at Calhoun County High School in his hometown of St. Matthews, S.C., from 1997-2001. Rumph also worked as a graduate assistant coach at the University of South Carolina in the spring of 1997 prior to being named the head coach at Calhoun County High.
Background
Rumph was a four-year letterwinner at the University of South Carolina, where he starred as a linebacker for the Gamecocks under head coaches Sparky Woods and Brad Scott, totaling 141 career tackles. Rumph helped lead USC to its first bowl victory in the 1995 Carquest Bowl. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from South Carolina in 1994. He and his wife Kila are the proud parents of two sons, Christopher and Elijah. Christopher is a sophomore football player at Duke. 
Conference Championships
2012 SEC – Alabama (Defensive Line Coach)
All-Americans Coached
DT Jon Bullard – Florida '15 – CBSSports.com, Pro Football Focus, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated
DT Malcom Brown – Texas '14 – AP, FWAA, Sporting News, Walter Camp, USA Today, ESPN, CBS Sports
DE Da'Quan Bowers – Clemson '10 – Unanimous
DE Gaines Adams – Clemson '06 – Unanimous
National Award Winners Coached
DE Da'Quan Bowers – Clemson '10 – Bronko Nagurski Award, Ted Hendricks Award
NFL Draft Picks Coached (24 draft picks, 2 first round)
LB Jachai Polite (RD 3) – Florida ’19 – New York Jets
DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (RD 4) – Florida ’19 – New Orleans Saints
LB Vosean Joseph (RD 5) – Florida ’19 – Buffalo Bills
DT Taven Bryan (RD 1) – Florida ’18 – Jacksonville Jaguars
DT Caleb Brantley (RD 6) – Florida '17 – Cleveland Browns
DT Joey Ivie (RD 7) – Florida ’17 – Dallas Cowboys
DT A’Shawn Robinson (RD 2) – Alabama ’16 – Detroit Lions
DL Jon Bullard (RD 3) – Florida '16 – Chicago Bears
DT Hassan Ridgeway (RD 4) – Texas '16 – Indianapolis Colts
DE Alex McCalister (RD 7) – Florida '16 – Philadelphia Eagles
DE Ed Stinson (RD 5) – Alabama '14 – Arizona Cardinals
DE Jeoffrey Pagan (RD 6) – Alabama '14 – Houston Texans
DE Malliciah Goodman (RD 4) – Clemson '13 – Atlanta Falcons
DT Jesse Williams (RD 5) – Alabama '13 – Seattle Seahawks
DE Quinton Dial (RD 5) – Alabama '13 – San Francisco 49ers
DE Andre Branch (RD 2) – Clemson '12 – Jacksonville Jaguars
DT Brandon Thompson (RD 3) – Clemson '12 – Cincinnati Bengals
DT Josh Chapman (RD 5) – Alabama '12 – Indianapolis Colts
DE Jarvis Jenkins (RD 2) – Clemson '11 – Washington Redskins
DE Da'Quan Bowers (RD 2) – Clemson '11 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DE Ricky Sapp (RD 5) – Clemson '10 – Philadelphia Eagles
DT Darell Scott (RD 4) – Clemson '09 – St. Louis Rams
DE Phillip Merling (RD 2) – Clemson '08 – Miami Dolphins
DE Gaines Adams (RD 1) – Clemson '07 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
