The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Head Coach For Defense/Defensive Line
A defensive line coach at Clemson and Alabama with National Championship game experience, Chris Rumph has completed his first season as assistant head coach for defense and defensive line coach at The University of Texas.
During 2014, Rumph helped develop one of the best defensive lines in the country. Texas’ 3.1 sacks per game were tied for the 11th most nationally, with linemen Malcom Brown (6.5), Hassan Ridgeway (6.0), Cedric Reed (5.5), Caleb Bluiett (3.5) and Shiro Davis (3.5) ranking as five of the team’s top seven sack producers. Brown became the 47th Longhorn to earn consensus first team All-America honors and was a finalist for the Nagurski and Outland trophies, while Reed was named second team All-Big 12.
On the season, Texas ranked No. 25 nationally in total defense (348.8 yards per game), No. 19 in red zone defense (75 percent) and No. 7 in yards allowed per play (4.68).
Rumph came to Texas after spending three seasons as the defensive line coach at Alabama. During 2013, the defensive line played an important role in helping a defensive unit that ranked seventh nationally and first in the SEC allowing 106.2 yards per game on the ground.
Led by senior Ed Stinson and junior Jeoffrey Pagan, the Tide front helped limit opponents to just 286.5 yards of total offense to rank fifth nationally, while surrendering just 13.9 points per game to rank fourth. Stinson earned second-team All-SEC honors and led the group with 38 tackles, while Pagan had one sack and 31 tackles. Brandon Ivory clogged up the middle at nose guard and made 22 tackles.
Rumph's 2012 deep and talented group of linemen was a key element in Alabama's defensive efforts that helped them to a 13-1 record and the National Championship. The Crimson Tide led the nation in rush defense, allowing only 76.4 yards per game while also leading the country in total defense at 250.0 yards per game.
Senior defensive end Damion Square, senior nose guard Jesse Williams and Stinson anchored the group. Square finished with 33 tackles, four tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a team-high nine pressures. Williams added 37 stops with 2.5 tackles for loss and four QB pressures, while Stinson registered three sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and 30 total stops. Rumph was integral in the development of Williams from a raw junior-college lineman from Australia to a second-team All-SEC selection and eventual NFL Draft pick by the Seattle Seahawks.
The defensive line was stellar in 2011, helping the Crimson Tide rank No. 1 nationally in rushing defense, allowing only 72.2 yards per game. Josh Chapman anchored the line from his nose guard position, earning second-team All-SEC honors, despite playing the second half of the season with a torn ACL. For the season, Chapman collected 23 total tackles, including 3.5 for loss, one sack and a pair of pass breakups. Alabama led the nation in all five major defensive categories as the Tide captured the 2011 National Championship. Chapman was a fifth-round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts.
In Rumph's tenure (2006-10) at Clemson, the Tigers ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and total defense in each of those five seasons (Clemson also appeared in bowl games to conclude each of those five seasons and won the ACC Atlantic Division title in 2009. He served the first three as defensive line coach and the last two as defensive ends coach.
In 2010, Clemson was 19th in the nation in total defense (320.3 ypg), 13th in scoring defense (18.8 ppg), 22nd in pass defense (191.9 ypg), 28th in rushing defense (128.5 ypg) and 10th in tackles for loss (7.38 pg). Rumph coached unanimous All-America DE 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 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay. DL Jarvis Jenkins was also a first-team All-ACC pick that year and went on to be drafted in the second round by Washington. That season, Rumph also coached DE Andre Branch who went on to be drafted in the second round by Jacksonville in 2012.
In 2009, Clemson ranked 20th in total defense (314.3 ypg) and 25th in scoring defense (20.4 ppg), while again ranking among the nation's top teams in tackles for loss (12th/7.29 pg) in addition to ranking seventh in pass defense (162.8 ypg). The Tigers finished the season 9-5, including a Music City Bowl win over Kentucky. DE Ricky Sapp earned second-team All-ACC honors after leading the team with five sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 17 pressures, before being selected in the fifth round by Philadelphia in the 2010 draft.
Despite a 7-6 record in 2008, the Clemson defense ranked in the top 20 in scoring defense (13th/17.3 ppg), total defense (18th/299.9 ypg) and pass efficiency defense (10th/101.7). Bowers, Jenkins, Sapp, and DT Dorell Scott each had at least 7.5 tackles for loss, combining for 35.5 total, along with 38 pressures under Rumph's guidance. Scott was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 draft by St. Louis.
The 2007 Clemson defense helped secure a 9-4 record by ranking ninth in the nation in total defense (306.8 ypg), 10th in scoring defense (18.7 ppg), 13th in pass defense (188.5 ypg) and 23rd in rushing defense (118.3 ypg). DE Phillip Merling led the team with seven sacks and 17 tackles for loss with 21 pressures, while Sapp led in pressures with 22 and was second in both sacks (five) and tackles for loss (10). Merling was the No. 32 overall pick by Miami in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
In Rumph's first year with the Tigers, he worked with DE 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, helping Clemson rank 20th as a team in that category. He also posted 17.5 tackles for loss and 25 pressures. Merling added another 10 tackles for loss and 20 pressures. The Tigers ranked 13th in total defense (280.8 ypg), 16th in scoring defense (16.2 ppg), 18th in rushing defense (103.1 ypg) and 17th in pass efficiency defense (106.4).
Prior to his stint at Clemson, Rumph was the outside linebackers coach at Memphis for three years (2003-05). Memphis appeared in bowl games in each of his three seasons and won a total of 24 games during that time. Memphis beat Mississippi in 2003 and 2004 and the Tigers were ninth in the nation in total defense in 2003. In 2005, the Memphis defense finished 23rd in the nation in turnover margin and led the conference in rush defense (125.6 ypg), which was good for 27th in the NCAA.
Rumph was the defensive backs coach at South Carolina State in 2002, following a five-year stint as head coach at Calhoun County High School in St. Matthews, S.C. He also served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks/running backs coach at Calhoun County.
Born in Orangeburg, S.C., Rumph also played in high school at Calhoun County. He signed with South Carolina and played linebacker from 1991-94, earning his bachelor's degree in 1994. He helped the Gamecocks record their first bowl victory in the 1995 Carquest Bowl. He and his wife Kila have two sons, Christopher and Elijah.
CHRIS RUMPH AT-A-GLANCE | |
| Hometown | Orangeburg, S.C. |
| High school | Calhoun County |
| College | South Carolina '94 |
| Year in coaching | 18th |
| Wife | Kila |
| Children | Christopher, Elijah |
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS | ||
| 2014- | Assistant Head Coach for Defense/Defensive Line | Texas |
| 2011-13 | Defensive Line | Alabama |
| 2009-10 | Defensive Ends | Clemson |
| 2006-08 | Defensive Line | Clemson |
| 2003-05 | Outside Linebackers | Memphis |
| 2002 | Defensive Backs | South Carolina State |
| 1997-2001 | Head Coach | Calhoun County HS (S.C.) |
| 1997 (Spring) | Graduate Assistant | South Carolina |
COLLEGE BOWL EXPERIENCE | ||
| 2014 | Texas Bowl | Texas |
| 2014 | Sugar Bowl | Alabama |
| 2013 | BCS Championship | Alabama |
| 2012 | BCS Championship | Alabama |
| 2010 | Meineke Car Care | Clemson |
| 2009 | Music City Bowl | Clemson |
| 2009 | Gator Bowl | Clemson |
| 2007 | Chik-fil-A Bowl | Clemson |
| 2006 | Music City Bowl | Clemson |
| 2005 | Motor City Bowl | Memphis |
| 2004 | GMAC Bowl | Memphis |
| 2003 | New Orleans Bowl | Memphis |
