Chris Rumph was named as Clemson’s defensive ends coach on Dec. 4, 2023. Rumph, 51, returns to Clemson with more than 25 years of coaching experience, including the last four years at the NFL level and 17 years of Division I experience from 2003-19 with some of the biggest name brands in college football. After serving as head coach at Calhoun (S.C.) County High School from 1997-2001, as defensive backs coach at South Carolina State in 2002 and as outside linebackers coach at Memphis from 2003-05, Rumph made his Power Five coaching debut at Clemson, serving as the Tigers’ defensive line coach from 2006-10. “For me, this is coming home,” Rumph said. “Clemson is a great fit for me and my family in terms of the town and the quality of the people. The passion of the fan base is second-to-none… Clemson is a program that has won consistently and won at the highest levels under Coach Swinney. I am excited to do my part to return the program where it aspires to be and once again have Clemson in the College Football Playoff and competing for national championships year in and year out.“ In Rumph’s first stint at Clemson, he contributed to the success of two of the most decorated defensive ends in program history. In 2006, he worked with senior defensive end Gaines Adams, who became the second unanimous All-American in program history that season before being selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. In 2010, he guided junior Da’Quan Bowers — now a member of Clemson’s support staff — as Bowers led the nation in sacks (15.5) and tackles for loss (26.0) en route to winning both the Nagurski Trophy and the Ted Hendricks Award. Rumph spent the last four years in the NFL including the last two as defensive line coach with the Minnesota Vikings. He served in the same capacity for the Chicago Bears in 2021, helping the Bears to 49 sacks, fourth-most in the NFL. He coached outside linebackers for the Houston Texans in his NFL coaching debut in 2020. After his first stint at Clemson, Rumph went on to serve in various capacities at Alabama, Texas, Florida and Tennessee over a nine-season span. From 2011-13, he helped Alabama produce six NFL Draft picks along his defensive line in addition to helping the Crimson Tide bring home national championships in both 2011 and 2012. In both of those national title-winning seasons, Rumph’s group contributed to Alabama leading the nation in both total defense and scoring defense. Rumph served as Texas’ assistant head coach and defensive line coach in 2014, helping defensive tackle Malcom Brown earn consensus All-America honors. He then began a three-year run at Florida, serving first as defensive line coach from 2015-16 and adding co-defensive coordinator duties in 2017. Rumph’s guidance helped five Gator defensive linemen become NFL Draft picks across the 2016-18 NFL Drafts. He then transitioned to Tennessee, overseeing outside linebackers along with co-coordinator duties for the 2018-19 seasons. A native of St. Matthews, S.C., Rumph played collegiately at South Carolina, where he was a four-year letterman as a linebacker from 1991-94. He earned a bachelor’s degree in retail management from South Carolina in 1994 and later returned to the university as a graduate assistant for the spring of 1997. He is married to his wife, Kila, and has two sons, Chris and Elijah. Chris is presently a linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers. “Chris really fits what I was looking for in this hire,” Swinney said. “I wanted someone with NFL experience — and he certainly brings that — and I was looking for the right recruiting fit as someone who grew up in this state and played in this state. We’ve had a great relationship for a long time now and, honestly, he was a guy that almost came back a couple of other times over the years, but this is the right time and I’m excited to welcome him and Kila back and him continuing the great tradition we’ve had with our defensive ends.” ***
FULL COMMENTS FROM DABO SWINNEY AND CHRIS RUMPH
Head Coach Dabo Swinney:“I’m super excited to welcome Chris and Kila Rumph. “Chris and I were assistants together previously and he was on my very first staff when I got the head coaching job. He left here before the 2011 season to go work for Coach [Nick] Saban at Alabama, and since then, he has really gained a ton of experience and expertise. He has worked at some of the best programs in the country and the last several years has coached in the NFL. He really fits what I was looking for in this hire. I wanted someone with NFL experience — and he certainly brings that — and I was looking for the right recruiting fit as someone who grew up in this state and played in this state. We’ve had a great relationship for a long time now and, honestly, he was a guy that almost came back a couple of other times over the years, but this is the right time and I’m excited to welcome him and Kila back and him continuing the great tradition we’ve had with our defensive ends.”
Defensive Ends Coach Chris Rumph:“I am excited about the opportunity to return to Clemson and work again with Coach Swinney and once again be a part of the Clemson community. For me, this is coming home. Clemson is a great fit for me and my family in terms of the town and the quality of the people. The passion of the fan base is second-to-none. “When I first spoke to Dabo, the first thing he asked was about my family – my wife and children – by name. That’s not always the case. You can’t get the authenticity and realness of Coach Swinney and Clemson anywhere else, and I am grateful to Coach Swinney and all of Clemson’s administration for welcoming me back. I have so much familiarity with the program and great people like Woody McCorvey, Jeff Davis, Wes Goodwin and Nick Eason, and being embraced by people you know and love makes this such a great opportunity at this stage of my life and career. “Clemson is a program that has won consistently and won at the highest levels under Coach Swinney. I am excited to do my part to return the program where it aspires to be and once again have Clemson in the College Football Playoff and competing for national championships year in and year out.“ ***
RUMPH COACHING TIMELINE1997: Graduate Assistant, South Carolina1997-2001: Calhoun (S.C.) County HS, Head Coach2002: Defensive Backs Coach, South Carolina State2003-05: Outside Linebackers Coach, Memphis
2006-10: Defensive Line Coach, Clemson2011-13: Defensive Line Coach, Alabama2014: Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach, Texas2015-16: Defensive Line Coach, Florida2017: Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach, Florida2018-19: Co-Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach, Tennessee2020: Outside Linebackers Coach, Houston Texans2021: Defensive Line Coach, Chicago Bears2022-23: Defensive Line Coach, Minnesota Vikings
2024: Defensive Ends Coach, Clemson

*Courtesy Clemson Media Guide