John Rushing’s professional playing career didn’t last long, but it took him to some interesting places.
It began with the Birmingham Barracudas of the CFL – yes, the CFL – continued with the Dallas Cowboys and concluded with the Edmonton Eskimos.
“I bounced around,” Rushing said Wednesday. “I’m where I need to be – in coaching.”
Rushing’s coaching career began at Merced Union High School in Central California, where he had starred as a football player and sprinter. He got his first Division I college job a few years later at Boise State, where one of his players was Marcel Yates.
The two would coach together at Montana State, and they have been reunited in Tucson. Rushing is the Arizona Wildcats’ new safeties coach. Yates is entering his third season as their defensive coordinator.
Rushing also has a history with Kevin Sumlin, who was a graduate assistant at Washington State when Rushing began his playing career there.
Rushing spent eight seasons on the staff of the Green Bay Packers, including the 2011 squad that won the Super Bowl. He returned to his Pac-12 roots last year with Oregon State.
Rushing discussed his position group, recruiting and other topics when he met the media Wednesday. Here’s a portion of that conversation, which has been lightly edited for context and clarity.
How does Montana State compare to Arizona?
A: “It’s night and day. … Montana State, we were in a totally different situation. The program had been down a little bit. We kind of helped build that thing up. Here, you’ve got a good foundation already established. It’s just coming in with Coach Sumlin’s staff and trying to build on what was here last year.”
Who has stood out to you so far in your position group?
A: “Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. He is the lead guy back there. He’s a senior coming back. He knows the defense. He’s taken on more of a leadership role in the spring. It’s kind of helped me learn the other guys’ personalities and helped me get those guys going on the back end. Because he has a very good relationship with them; they all look up to him. He’s been very impressive."
Are you in charge of all three of the safety positions?
A: “That’s something that we did differently. It makes us a little bit more multiple when three guys are in the same room and kind of know what the other person is doing. We can roll from any spot. It gives us a lot more disguise, because you don’t know what guy’s playing what position.”
What have you seen out of Jarrius Wallace and Tristan Cooper so far?
A: “Coop has done a great job as far as growing every scrimmage. Jarrius has a lot of game experience from last year. Those are two guys we’re going to count on next year.”
What about Xavier Bell?
A: “He’s a freshman, but he’s growing on the field. Spring is very important for those young guys. He’s getting better every week. They’ve all done a good job of getting better each scrimmage and learning from their mistakes.”
We’ve seen Isaiah Hayes in the school-produced videos, but he didn’t participate in the scrimmage last week. Is that for precautionary reasons?
A: “He had an injury last year (shoulder surgery). We’re kind of taking our time with him. He’s getting some reps in 7-on-7 situations. He’s a very smart kid. He’s done a great job of getting mental reps on the sidelines and getting himself ready to get out there and compete in the fall.”
For some guys, when there’s a new coaching staff, it’s a fresh start. Chacho Ulloa hasn’t played much here. Is he someone who falls into that category?
A: “That’s the first thing I talked about when they stepped into the room. We’re starting with a clean slate. Everybody has something to prove. I’m not going to judge anybody on what the last coach did or thought, because I’m not the last coach. I’m the new coach. I’m going to judge them on how they work for me and what they bring to the table. They all have the ability to contribute to this team in one fashion or another.”
What’s the biggest thing you took from the NFL that you’ve been able to apply since you’ve been back in college?
A: “With the Packers, it was preparation. Paying attention to detail. A real detailed organization. That’s how I try to mold myself now, to be really detailed. The small things … make a big difference.”
Does it seem like college football has changed a lot since you’ve been back?
A: “Recruiting has. We didn’t have Twitter and all the stuff they have now. It was more, get the tape and evaluate the tape. We didn’t really pay attention to stars and those types of things. That’s the same approach Coach Sumlin is having. Let’s evaluate the tape and get the guys we like, not the guys that have all the pub. We like those guys too, but we’re going to do our due diligence and make sure we check out the film.”
What characteristics are you looking for when you’re recruiting a safety?
A: “There’s so many. You want guys with ball skills. You want guys that tackle well. You want speed. You want length. You want all those intangibles. But just football players. Sometimes passion jumps off on tape. I want the guy (where) you can see his passion on tape, not just all the measurables.”
