I t looks like the Chicago Bears are going to be losing another assistant coach.
First, assistant offensive line coach Donovan Raiola left to be the OL coach for Scott Frost at Nebraska, and now, Chris Rumph is headed to Florida to coach for the Gators.
As first reported by G. Allan Taylor of The Athletic, Gators head coach Billy Napier is looking to hire Bears defensive line coach Chris Rumph to be the team’s new outside linebackers coach.
“Napier is seeking to bring aboard Chris Rumph from the Chicago Bears, Karl Scott from the Minnesota Vikings and Eric Henderson of the Los Angeles Rams on the defensive side. He also aims to reunite with New York Giants offensive line coach Rob Sale, the source indicated. Those discussions are on hold until those NFL teams complete their seasons,” Taylor reported on December 23.
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Rumph Has Only Been in Chicago for a Year
This will be Rumph’s second stint at Florida. He was d-line coach and co-defensive coordinator there from 2015-2017.
He has had a great deal of success in his 18 years as a college coach and was part of back-to-back national championship teams as the defensive line coordinator in 2011 and 2012.
Rumph was hired as to take over for Jay Rodgers as defensive line coach at Alabama in January of 2021. He has over 20 years of coaching experience, dating back to 1997.
Here’s a look at Rumph’s coaching resumé:
- South Carolina (1997) — Graduate assistant
- Calhoun County High School (1997–2001) — Head coach
- South Carolina State (2002) — Defensive backs coach
- Memphis (2003–2005) — Outside linebackers coach
- Clemson (2006–2010) — Defensive ends coach
- Alabama (2011–2013) — Defensive line coach
- Texas (2014) — Assistant head coach & defensive line coach
- Florida (2015–2016) — Defensive line coach
- Florida (2017) — Co-defensive coordinator & defensive line coach
- Tennessee (2018–2019) — Co-defensive coordinator & outside linebackers coach
- Houston Texans (2020) — Outside linebackers coach
- Chicago Bears (2021–present) — Defensive line coach
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Rumph’s Son Was 4th Round Pick for Chargers in 2021
Rumph’s son, Chris Rumph II, was taken by the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth round of the draft this year. An edge rusher out of Duke, Rumph II netted 8.0 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss as a senior.
“It was surreal,” Rumph Sr. said about his son getting drafted, via the Bears’ official website. “You always see it on TV. Whether you know someone you coached or a friend or somebody you played against, you see them in that situation, you see guys cry and you see emotions and you understand it—but you really don’t understand it.”
“To be in that situation and to feel it is just remarkable,” he added. “It’s just like all of the goals, all of the sacrifices and the little things in life that you gave up to get to this point is realized, and it was all worth it, so it was unbelievable.”
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Bears Losing Another Top Assistant Coach to College Gig: Report