Tracy Rocker

Title:
Defensive Line

Tracy Rocker, a renowned national championship-winning defensive line coach in the SEC and the 1988 SEC Player of the Year, enters his second season on head coach Jeremy Pruitt’s staff.

Rocker has found success at every stop during his nearly 20-year collegiate and professional coaching career. Rocker has coached NFL first-round picks (DeMarcus Ware, Jamaal Anderson, Nick Fairley and Peria Jerry), as well as future pros Greg Hardy, Trent Cole and Osi Umenyiora in coaching stops at Auburn, Ole Miss, Cincinnati, Arkansas and Troy. He won a national championship with Auburn in 2010.

In 2018, Rocker had three first-year full-time starters on the defensive line. The front three led a defense that jumped up 74 spots in run defense.

Rocker spent the 2014 through 2016 seasons as the defensive line coach at Georgia after three years with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. Rocker was a two-time All-American at Auburn, winning the 1988 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Trophy. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

THE ROCKER FILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Born: April 9, 1966
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
Education: Bachelor's Degree (Auburn '92)
Playing Experience: Auburn - DL (1985-88))
Wife: Lalitha
Children: Kumar

Coaching History

1992-93: Auburn HS, Defensive Coord.
1994-96: West Alabama, Defensive Line
1997-01: Troy, Defensive Line
2002: Cincinnati, Defensive Line
2003-07: Arkansas, Defensive Line
2008: Ole Miss, Defensive Line
2009-10: Auburn, Defensive Line
2011-13: Tennessee Titans, Defensive Line
2014: Georgia, Defensive Line
2015-16: Georgia, Assoc. Head Coach / Defensive Line
2018-present: Tennessee, Defensive Line

Tennessee (2018-Present)
In year one on Rocky Top, Rocker served as the defensive line coach, helping the defense become one of the most improved in college football in 2018. Tennessee jumped up 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 Vols defense also improved 45 spots nationally in third-down defense with opponents converting just 39 percent of their third downs compared to 45 percent in 2017.

In his first year on the job, UT saw an uptick sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hurries. Senior defensive lineman Kyle Phillips had his best season as a Vol, finishing second on the team in tackles for loss (8.0), second in sacks (5.0) and fourth in total tackles (56).

Redshirt senior defensive lineman Alexis Johnson Jr. finished the season third in sacks (3.0) while junior defensive lineman Emmit Gooden was third on the team in tackles for loss (7.0).

Georgia (2014-16)
Rocker had a three-year stint as Georgia’s defensive line coach from 2014-16 under head coaches Mark Richt and Kirby Smart. He was also the associate head coach for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. While in Athens, Rocker coached with Pruitt for two seasons (2014 & 2015).

During Rocker’s time with the Bulldogs, they finished in the top 17 nationally in total defense each season and had the eighth best scoring defense (16.9 ppg) in 2015. UGA ranked sixth in the SEC with 29.0 sacks in 2016 as well.

Tennessee Titans (2011-13)
Rocker spent three years as the defensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans (2011-13) before leaving for Georgia. In 2012, the Titans ranked 10th in the NFL in sacks (39). Additionally defensive end Derrick Morgan turned in the best season of his career, registering 6.5 sacks, 19 quarterback pressures, five tackles for loss, five passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

In 2013, the Titans finished 11th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (225.8 - sixth in AFC) and 14th in yards per game allowed (337.9 - eighth in AFC).

In his first season with the Titans, Rocker led a young group of players that saw two rookies emerge as playmakers on the interior. Rookie defensive tackle Karl Klug led all NFL rookies at his position with seven sacks, a total that led the Titans and also ranked fourth among all NFL defensive tackles.

Fellow rookie defensive tackle Jurrell Casey started 15 games and led all Titans defensive linemen in tackles with 74 while also tallying 2.5 sacks, nine quarterback pressures, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Auburn (2009-10)
Prior to joining the Titans staff, Rocker spent two seasons (2009-10) at his alma mater, Auburn, as the defensive line coach. While there, he helped develop Nick Fairley into the Lombardi Award winner (given to the NCAA’s best defensive lineman or linebacker) and an AP All-American as a part of Auburn’s 2010 national title winning team.

Fairley went on to become the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by Detroit.
Rocker also coached two other NFL Draft picks during his time at Auburn in defensive end Corey Lemonier (3rd round in 2013) and defensive tackle Zach Clayton (7th round in 2011).

In 2009, he coached Antonio Coleman, who led the SEC in tackles for loss (16.5) and sacks (10.0) and was twice named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.

Ole Miss (2008)
Before his two-year stint at Auburn, Rocker spent one year as the defensive line coach at Ole Miss in 2008. The Rebels finished 14th in the final polls and ranked 19th nationally in total defense. The defense led the SEC and finished fourth in the country with 39 sacks.

Rocker mentored two Rebels to All-America honors in Peria Jerry, who was named a second team All-American, and Greg Hardy, who was named a third-team selection, both by Rivals.com. Jerry and Hardy also earned first and second team All-SEC accolades, respectively.

Peria was selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft by Atlanta while Hardy was a sixth-round pick by Carolina in 2010 and ended up being a Pro Bowl selection in 2013.

Arkansas (2003-07)
Rocker worked five seasons as the defensive line coach at Arkansas from 2003-07 and saw Jamaal Anderson earn a first-round selection in the 2007 NFL Draft after a 14-sack season as a senior. The 2005 Razorback unit ranked second in the SEC in sacks with 29 and was fourth in rushing defense.

During his stint with the Razorbacks, Rocker mentored three players who were selected in the NFL Draft: Anderson, and defensive tackles Keith Jackson (2007) and Marcus Harrison (2008).

Cincinnati (2002)
Rocker spent one season as defensive line coach with the University of Cincinnati in 2002 and helped the Bearcats capture the Conference USA title. The UC defense was led by first-team All-CUSA selection Antwan Peek.

Troy (1997-01)
In 1997, Rocker took over the defensive line coaching position at Troy, where he spent five seasons. In his time working with the Trojans, he coached future NFL stars DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora. Ware was a three-time all-conference selection and was named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. Umenyiora was a two-time all-conference selection (2000 & 2002).

Rocker coached Trojan great Al Lucas, who won the 1999 Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in I-AA and was also a two-time I-AA All-American (1998 & 1999). All three of those players are members of the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame.

In total, three defensive linemen who were coached by Rocker at Troy ended up being selected in the NFL Draft. Ware was picked 11th overall in the 2005 draft, Umenyiora was a second-round selection in the 2003 draft and Davern Williams was drafted in the seventh round in 2003.

Ware went on to be a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time first-team All-Pro while leading the league in sacks in 2008 and 2010. Ware also won Super Bowl 50 as a member of the Denver Broncos in 2015 and was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team before retiring after the 2016 season.

Umenyiora made two Pro Bowls (2005 & 2007) and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2005. He went on to win a pair of Super Bowls with the New York Giants.

West Alabama (1994-96)
Rocker broke into the college coaching ranks at West Alabama from 1994-96 as the defensive line coach.

Pre-College Coaching Career
Rocker began his coaching career as the defensive coordinator at Auburn (Ala.) High School from 1992-93.

Background
As a player, Rocker was a two-time All American at Auburn and was the 1988 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Trophy winner. He was the first SEC player to earn both awards. He was named SEC Player of the Year following his senior season in 1988. Rocker was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

He was a third-round pick by the Washington Redskins in the 1989 NFL Draft and played two seasons before suffering a knee injury. He concluded his career by playing one year for the Orlando Thunder of the World Football League. As a coach, Rocker spent two summers working with NFL teams (Indianapolis, 2001; Tampa Bay, 2006) as a part of the NFL’s Minority Internship Program.

A native of Atlanta, Ga., Rocker and his wife Lalitha have a son, Kumar, who led Vanderbilt’s baseball team to the 2019 NCAA Championship as a freshman this spring. He was named the 2019 College World Series Most Outstanding Player and tossed a 19-strikeout no-hitter in the NCAA Super Regionals.

National Championships
2010 – Auburn (Defensive Line Coach)

Conference Championships (4)
2010 SEC – Auburn (Defensive Line Coach)
2002 Conference USA – Cincinnati (Defensive Line Coach)
1999 & 2000 Southland – Troy (Defensive Line Coach)

All-Americans Coached (6)
DT Nick Fairley – Auburn '10 – FWAA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, AP, CBS Sports, Rivals
DT Peria Jerry – Ole Miss '08 – AP, ESPN, AAFB, Pro Football Writers, Athlon Sports
DL Tim Betts – Troy '00 – AFCA, AP, Don Hansen
DE Eric Sloan – Troy '98 & '99 – Walter Camp
DT Al Lucas – Troy '98 & '99 – AP, Walter Camp, Don Hansen, Sports Network
DE Marcus Spriggs – Troy '98 – AP, Walter Camp, ESPN/USA Today

National Award Winners Coached
DT Nick Fairley – Auburn '10 – Lombardi Award, AP Defensive Player of the Year
DT Al Lucas – Troy '99 – Buck Buchanan Award (Division I-AA Top Defensive Player)

NFL Draft Picks Coached (15 draft picks, five first rounders)
DE Dee Ford (RD 1) – Auburn ’14 – Kansas City Chiefs
DE Corey Lemonier (RD 3) – Auburn '13 – San Francisco 49ers
DT Nick Fairley (RD 1) – Auburn '11 – Detroit Lions
DT Zach Clayton (RD 7) – Auburn '11 – Tennessee Titans
DT Jerrell Powe (RD 6) – Ole Miss '11 – Kansas City Chiefs
DE Greg Hardy (RD 6) – Ole Miss '10 – Carolina Panthers
DT Peria Jerry (RD 1) – Ole Miss '09 – Atlanta Falcons
DT Marcus Harrison (RD 3) – Arkansas '08 – Chicago Bears
DE Jamaal Anderson (RD 1) – Arkansas '07 – Atlanta Falcons
DT Keith Jackson (RD 7) – Arkansas '07 – St. Louis Rams
DE Trent Cole (RD 5) – Cincinnati ’05 – Philadelphia Eagles
DE Demarcus Ware (RD 1) – Troy '05 – Dallas Cowboys
DE Osi Umenyiora (RD 2) – Troy '03 – New York Giants
DT Davern Williams (RD 7) – Troy '03 – Miami Dolphins
DT Marcus Spriggs (RD 6) – Troy '99 – Cleveland Browns