Playing Experience
Lettered four times as a linebacker at South Carolina (1991-94).
Bowl Participation as a Player
1995 Carquest Bowl.
Education
B.S. degree in retail management from South Carolina in 1994.
Coaching Experience
Head coach at Calhoun County High in Saint Matthews, SC (1997-01)...defensive backs coach at S.C. State (2002)...outside linebackers coach at Memphis (2003-05)...defensive line coach at Clemson (2006).
Bowl Seasons as an Assistant Coach
2003 New Orleans Bowl...2004 GMAC Bowl...2005 Motor City Bowl...2006 Music City Bowl.
Personal Data
Born December 21, 1971 in Orangeburg, SC...married to Kila...the couple has two sons (Christopher 8, Elijah 1).
Chris Rumph is in his second season as the Tiger defensive line coach. His young linemen had a lot to do with Clemson's top-25 finish in all four major defensive categories in 2006, the first time in 16 years that Clemson finished in the top 25 nationally in scoring defense, rushing defense, total defense, and pass efficiency defense in the same year.
Rumph did an outstanding job of molding sophomores Dorell Scott, Rashaad Jackson, and Jock McKissic into players who helped Clemson finish the season 18th in the nation in rushing defense, 13th in total defense, 16th in scoring defense, and 17th in pass efficiency defense in 2006. Clemson was also 20th in the country in sacks and 16th in tackles for loss per game.
Rumph came to Clemson after working three seasons as outside linebackers coach at Memphis under former Clemson Head Coach Tommy West. He started his Clemson career on March 4, 2006.
Memphis made three bowl appearances in Rumph's three seasons under West, including bowl wins during the 2003 and 2005 seasons. Memphis won 24 games during his three years on the staff as well.
The Memphis defense was 23rd in the nation in turnover margin in 2005 when the Tigers posted a 7-5 record. The defensive unit allowed just 125.6 yards per game on the ground, best in Conference USA and 27th in the nation. Two of Rumph's players (Tim Goodwell, Carlton Baker) were the top-two tacklers on the defense. Goodwell led the team in tackles with 102, while Baker had 88, including a team-best five sacks.
Rumph joined the Memphis staff in June of 2003, and he worked with Defensive Coordinator Joe Lee Dunn in developing a solid defensive unit each of the his three years with the program. The 2003 Memphis team won nine games, including a bowl game, and finished ninth in the nation in total defense. One of Rumph's players, Coot Terry, was an All-Conference USA player as well.
In the 2004 season, Goodwell led the team in tackles with 106 stops. Goodwell, Carlton Baker, and Quinton McCrary were three of the top four tacklers and accounted for 284 of the team's total tackles. Rumph's linebackers also logged 10 of the team's 23 sacks in 2004.
The 2004 Memphis team started 5-1 and was ranked in the top 25 of the AP poll, its first top-25 ranking in school history. The squad also defeated SEC-rival Mississippi for the second straight year.
He joined the Memphis staff after coaching at S.C. State in 2002. While coaching the Bulldogs, he worked with the cornerbacks and safeties. He had previously served as head football coach at Calhoun County High School in Saint Matthews, SC from 1997-01. In addition to his duties as head coach, Rumph also served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks/running backs coach at Calhoun County High.
A native of Saint Matthews, SC, Rumph worked as a graduate assistant coach at South Carolina during the spring of 1997 prior to being named head coach at Calhoun County High.
He was a four-year football letterman at South Carolina from 1991-94. He first appeared as a red-shirt freshman at outside linebacker, and he was credited with 16 tackles along with a sack in 1991. In 1992, he played in nine games at outside linebacker as a sophomore and totaled 32 tackles. His first career start that season came in a win at Clemson.
As a junior in 1993, Rumph recorded 41 tackles as a part-time starter on defense. He started the Georgia and Clemson contests, and he turned in stellar efforts against East Carolina and Mississippi State. Rumph caused two fumbles and recovered another fumble in the East Carolina game, and he was credited with six tackles, one sack, and a pass breakup against Mississippi State.
In his final season as a starting defensive tackle, Rumph was the Gamecocks' ninth-leading tackler with a career-high 52 stops in the 11 regular-season games. He helped South Carolina to a Carquest Bowl bid in Brad Scott's first year as South Carolina's head coach. The Gamecocks recorded their first-ever bowl victory in the 1995 Carquest Bowl against West Virginia. Scott is now Clemson's associate head coach and offensive line coach.
Rumph, 35, received his bachelor of science degree in retail management from South Carolina in December of 1994. He is the uncle of current Tiger defensive end Phillip Merling and is Merling's position coach. He and his wife Kila have two sons, Christopher (8) and Elijah (1).