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With Josh Aldridge leaving Auburn to become East Carolina’s defensive coordinator, Hugh Freeze had an open defensive coaching position to fill. He did not go far to find a replacement.
As the special assistant to the head coach, TJ Rushing remains at Auburn but in a new role. According to Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover, “Rushing is expected to coach the outside linebacker position for the Tigers and could also help with the nickel position.”
His coaching career began with Arizona State as a graduate assistant in 2013. He quickly moved to the quality control assistant the next season with the Sun Devils before gaining his first position coach role as Northern Arizona’s cornerbacks coach in 2015. A year later, Rushing went to Tempe once again to be ASU’s defensive backs coach for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
After serving in the same role at Memphis in 2018 and 2019, Rushing accepted the defensive backs coaching role with Texas A&M and coached from 2020 through 2023. That’s where he became directly acquainted with Auburn co-defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.
READ MORE: Auburn Transfer Portal Tracker
Under Rushing’s direction in 2021, the members of the Aggies secondary were part of a defensive unit that finished as the nation’s No. 17 passing defense, and in 2022 ended the season at the top overall spot by allowing only 156.2 yards passing per game. Rushing also had a successful college and NFL career.
From Pauls Valley (Okla.) High School, Rushing played for Stanford from 2002 through 2005. Stanford Athletics denoted that Rushing gained 575 return yards and 2 touchdowns from his senior season alone. He earned second team All-Pac 12 for his efforts. As a cornerback, he earned 147 tackles, 14 pass breakups, and 4 interceptions. After leaving Stanford, Rushing’s professional football career started off with a bang.
A former teammate of Peyton Manning, Rushing was a member of the 2006 Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. Rushing was a return specialist during his NFL career. Playing in 2006, 2007, and 2009, Rushing’s greatest play was a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders.
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Special situation could lure Arch Manning from Texas to NFL in 2026
Despite the general consensus being that Arch Manning will return to Texas next year, there's good reason to think the young quarterback would jump for a ripe opportunity in the NFL in 2026. The biggest problem with Manning's resume is that the redshirt sophomore enters this season with only two starts at the college level. The more time he has as a starter, the more comfortable scouts and front offices feel about how they can gauge the quarterback's talent. Per ESPN, league scouts want a quarterback to have approximately 25 starts before entering the draft. For Manning to do so, he'd have to play for the Longhorns in 2026. However, ESPN quoted two sources who think Manning would declare for the 2026 draft if he knew he'd be taken into a good situation. Because Manning is getting paid from NIL and he comes from a well-known football family, Manning has no incentive to jump into the league if he's not ready. He can afford to see what the draft board looks like after Week 18 in January. "They'll want to see which team has the No. 1 pick and if they've fired their coach -- which is pretty common -- [and] who the replacement is before jumping into the draft," said an NFC scouting director. If an organization is drafting at No. 1 or near the top and it's a situation that Manning is happy to be in, he might be more apt to enter the 2026 draft. Manning could also look at what coaches haven't been fired and what teams are more likely to draft first in the 2027 draft. If he would be going to a team he's not thrilled about, he might opt for a better situation in 2026. Simply put, speculation surrounding Manning's draft plans isn't going away, even after Archie Manning's comments stating that his grandson would return to Texas next year.
TSN Analyst Shoots Down Bold Canadiens-Ducks Trade Idea
Speculation swirled this week about a possible blockbuster trade between the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks, but TSN/Forbes legal analyst Eric Macramalla was quick to pour cold water on the idea. The proposed deal centered around swapping top prospects: Montreal defenseman David Reinbacher and Anaheim forward Mason McTavish. On the surface, the trade has appeal. Reinbacher, a right-shot blueliner with legitimate top-pairing potential, would give the Ducks the kind of defensive cornerstone they’ve been searching for. Meanwhile, McTavish could provide the Canadiens with a much-needed second-line center behind Nick Suzuki, filling a hole that’s lingered for several seasons. But as Macramalla pointed out, the trade simply doesn’t add up for Montreal. Moving Reinbacher would leave the Canadiens dangerously thin on the right side of their defense, an area that already lacks long-term depth. While McTavish would be a strong addition, sacrificing a potential top-pairing defenseman is a price too steep for GM Kent Hughes to consider at this stage of the rebuild. Ultimately, while the concept may generate fan debate, Macramalla stressed that the Canadiens aren’t in a position to weaken their blue line just to address their center depth. For now, the deal “won’t work.” Fan Feedback: A Split Reaction Canadiens fans were quick to weigh in on the trade chatter, with opinions ranging from firm rejection to cautious interest. Some backed Macramalla’s stance, with one fan suggesting Montreal could use “other assets the Ducks would like” and another noting the Habs’ young defense core “will be a strength of the team for the next decade.” The Curfew Boys Podcast called it “1 step forward, 2 steps back.” Others saw more merit. One account argued he’d, “Do it one for one,” calling McTavish “more established at this point.” Another echoed that sentiment: “McT is a proven player, make the trade!!” Skeptics highlighted Reinbacher’s lack of NHL experience, and others questioned his durability. Meanwhile, Gord of Thunder took a playful shot at the concept, invoking The Princess Bride: “You never trade a defenseman with top pairing ability for a second line player — it’s inconceivable.” Even creative alternatives emerged, with one fan proposing a three-way deal involving Calgary. The verdict? While many fans respect McTavish’s value, most agree that giving up Reinbacher would leave the Canadiens with a hole too big to fill.
Jets QB Justin Fields under fire for limited 'processing' in preseason
The biggest question coming into the summer about New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields has not been answered or even experimented with much during the preseason. Fields is known for his ability to scramble, but has been criticized for his inability to consistently push the ball downfield as a passer during his time with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. On Saturday, Fields finished 1-of-5 passing for four yards in the Jets' 31-12 loss to the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic has noticed that the Jets aren't requiring Fields to attempt deep throws at practices, joint practices and preseason games. Rosenblatt doesn't believe Fields' 3.9 air yards per attempt in the preseason can translate to winning when the games start counting in September. "So far this summer, Fields has not inspired confidence that he’s a different quarterback than he was in Chicago and Pittsburgh — that is, an extremely athletic quarterback with good arm strength but limitations in terms of accuracy and processing," Rosenblatt wrote. "It’s only the preseason and far too early to panic, but it is fair to wonder how long the Jets can survive without a passing game that can threaten defenses. A quarterback who’s not willing to take shots down the field, in the preseason, is not someone who’s going to scare opposing defensive coordinators." The Jets don't have another realistic option to start at quarterback other than Fields. Tyrod Taylor is a career backup. Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook are battling for a spot on the practice squad. The Jets need to see what Fields can do when he has to throw the ball downfield to win games. Even if Fields doesn't chuck passes in preseason games, the Jets coaching staff needs to force the 2021 first-round pick to attempt deep throws at practice. If Fields cannot execute that part of the offense, the Jets should look at bringing in another quarterback before the regular season.
Vikings found another UDFA hidden gem who is exceeding every expectation put in front of him and everyone is taking notice
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has done a fantastic job in his tenure at finding undrafted free agents. After signing a class of just seven in 2022, where he did find one that made the 53-man roster in edge rusher Luiji Villain, the last two classes have been expansive and have netted a whopping seven have landed on the 53-man roster. Where things get interesting when you look at the entirety of the UDFAs who have made the roster. Of all eight UDFAs, they all have been on the defensive side of the football. This year, the first offensive UDFA is likely to make the roster in quarterback Max Brosmer. Max Brosmer shines in second preseason game The Vikings preseason game against the New England Patriots ended in a 20-12 tie, and it gave Brosmer an entire half to play. We got to hear from head coach Kevin O'Connell during the third quarter when Brosmer was in and he had a lot of good things to say. Those positive comments continued after the game. "What I love about Max is there were some breakdowns up front, and maybe he couldn't progress and read through concepts, but he plays with very fast eyes, and very rarely puts the ball at harm's way when he's doing it, which is a, which is a unique trait." That isn't the only positive trait that Brosmer has. Just like his time at the University of Minnesota, he's been a tremendous anticipatory thrower. O'Connell mentioned that on the broadcast. “Max Brosmer is not waiting to see if the WR is open. He is throwing some of these balls before the WR breaks. He has command of the offense.” It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Brosmer is thriving in O'Connell's offense. Not only is it difficult to find a quarterback, but there are so many elements to it other than just talent. Fit matters so much, and Brosmer's ability to anticipate throws over the middle matters a ton. Think about Brock Purdy. He's obviously a good quarterback, but does he have the kind of success he's having if he plays for someone other than Kyle Shanahan? Fit matters more than most would think. If you have a good fit, it amplifies everything. Look at this thrown on fourth down and 17 to extend the drive inside of two minutes to go. At this point, Brosmer is making a major push to not just be on the roster, but potentially be the backup quarterback. Sounds insane right? Even though it's somewhat absurd for a rookie UDFA to be the backup quarterback, there is some precedent for it. Tyson Bagent went undrafted out of Shepherd, a D-II school. He started four games when Justin Fields got hurt, including extensive playing time against the Vikings at Soldier Field. "I just view it right now as we've got to learn about these guys. We've got to try to see who's able to go in there and function and execute the offense when the circumstances aren't perfect. You know, they're not throwing the ball to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and T.J. (Hockenson) or playing behind our first offensive line. So you take that into account, but you're looking for just the traits out of those three guys. And I think Sam (Howell) had a really good week of practice, and I think Brett Rypien had a good week stepping in there. "Max (Brosmer) made some throws that were really impressive as well. So there's a reason why we're playing all three of them, as far as what that means, and the overall competition, I think I would just say it's still open, and we're trying to figure out what that room is going to look like for the season. But I do like all the players." Brosmer's impressive training camp is getting him in position to make major waves, and everyone is taking notice.
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