Jan. 28, 2003
LOGAN, Utah - John Rushing has been hired as secondary coach at Utah State University it was announced by Aggie head football coach Mick Dennehy on Tuesday. Rushing replaces Derrick Odom, who resigned to accept a similar position at Houston earlier this month.
Rushing comes to Utah State after spending the last three years at Montana State coaching the Bobcat secondary. While at MSU, Rushing was involved with a defense that led the Big Sky Conference in total defense and pass defense in each of the last two years.
The secondary allowed 202.1 yards passing per game in 2001 and improved that number to 194.1 last season to top the Big Sky. In 2002, one of his players, safety Kane Ioane, was an unanimous all-conference selection. MSU was 7-6 overall and tied for first in the Big Sky with a 5-2 record last season.
"I am excited about a new challenge," Rushing said. "This is division I football. Utah State was great on offense last year and it will be a good challenge to get the defense better and win some games."
Prior to coaching at MSU, Rushing was the secondary coach at Boise State in 1998 and 1999 helping coach the Broncos to the 1999 Big West Conference championship. He also coached at Willamette (Ore.) University in 1996 and 1997 where the Bearcats won two conference titles. He started his coaching career as an assistant at Merced (Calif.) Union High School.
As a college football player, Rushing played in the secondary at Washington State from 1991-94 and earned honorable mention all-Pac 10 honors as a freshman and sophomore. He established a school record by starting all 46 games in his four-year career.
His senior year, Washington State ranked second in the NCAA in total defense allowing just 229.0 yards per game and second in scoring defense at 12.1 points per contest.
"I have known of John for several years," Dennehy said. "I had a chance to watch him as a player at Washington State. I loved the way he played. I have seen his secondaries play at Montana State and saw how they grew from young players to conference champions.
"I have been impressed with the work he has done throughout the years and it is exciting to have him on our staff," Dennehy added. "He is a good young coach with good character. He is demanding and will instill that into his young players."
Rushing grew up in Merced, Calif. and attended Merced High School before enrolling at Washington State University. He graduated from WSU in 1995 with a degree in sociology. He is just shy of finishing a master's degree through Boise State University.
