What They Are Saying About Rusty Wright (Dec. 2018)
Start Date: December 2018
Head Coaching Record
2025: 5-7 Overall | 4-4 SoCon
2024: 7-5 Overall | 5-3 SoCon
2023: 8-5 Overall | 6-2 SoCon | FCS Playoffs 2nd Round
2022: 7-4 Overall | 5-3 SoCon
2021: 6-5 Overall | 5-3 SoCon
2020-21: 3-2 Overall | 3-1 SoCon
2019: 6-5 Overall | 5-3 SoCon
Total: 42-34 Overall | 33-19 SoCon
Notable Entering 2026 Season
- Five National POTY Finalists in his tenure. One winner: C Reid Williams, 2024 Rimington Award.
- Six SoCon Players of the Year: Defense (3), O-Line (3).
- 14 All-Americans.
- Only Mocs coach to start career .500 or better for six consecutive campaigns.
- Only SoCon program with .500 or better record each season since his arrival in 2019.
- Has had at least one 3-game win streak every season. His 7-year stretch is the longest by a single coach. The team
had a 9-season run from 1977-1985 under Joe Morrison, Bill Oliver & Buddy Nix.
- Fastest to 30 overall wins: Wright (51 games), Russ Huesman (53), Joe Morrison (57) & CFB Hall of Famer Scrappy Moore (60).
- Fastest to 30 SoCon wins: Wright (46), Huesman (47). Only two Mocs ball coaches with 30+.
- 7th coach in Mocs history to lead the program through 60 games clinching the most wins in the first 60
games with the 37-5 victory over Wofford. Top 5 records thru 60 games:
1) Rusty Wright (2019-present): 35-25 (.583)
2) Joe Morrison (1973-79): 32-24-4 (.567)
tie) Scrappy Moore (1931-67): 30-22-8 (.567)
4) Russ Huesman (2009-16): 33-27 (.550)
5) Buddy Nix (1984-92): 28-32 (.467)
- .553 winning percentage ranks 5th in school history (min. 30 games).
- 42 overall wins is 5th as well.
- Finished 2023 ranked No. 14 in the country in the Stats Perform Poll.
- Navigated a 2025 season where 29 players made their first career Chattanooga start with 21 making the first of their career on the DI level.
Prior Chattanooga Experience
- Linebackers/Special Teams, 2013-16
- Assistant Coach, 1996-2002
- Student-Athlete, 1992-95
All-Time Coaching Positions
- Georgia State, LB/Special Teams/Recruiting Coord., 2017-18
- Chattanooga, Linebackers/Special Teams, 2013-16
- Reinhardt, Defensive Coordinator, 2011-12
- Furman, Linebackers, 2010
- Gardner-Webb, Defensive Line, 2008
- Miami (Ohio), Assistant Coach, 2005-08
- Butler, Defensive Coordinator, 2004
- Chattanooga, Assistant Coach, 1996-2002
Buck Buchanan Award Finalists (National DPOTY)
- 2023: Jay Person (12th)
- 2022: Jay Person (T8th)
- 2021: Devonnsha Maxwell (14th)
Walter Payton Award Finalists (National OPOTY)
Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award Finalists (National SAOTY)
- 2024: Reuben Lowery III
- 2022: McClendon Curtis
- 2021: McClendon Curtis
- 2020-21: Drayton Arnold
Jerry Rice Award Finalists (National Freshman of the Year)
FCS Rimington Award (Top Center in the Nation)
All-America Selections (Head Coach-1st team unless otherwise noted)
2024: Reid Williams (OL-3rd)
2023: Kameron Brown (DB), Jay Person (Edge), Javin Whatley (WR), Reid Williams (OL)
2022: Kameron Brown (DB), McClendon Curtis (OL), Ailym Ford (RB-3rd), Devonnsha Maxwell (DL), Jay Person (Edge)
2021: Cole Strange (OL), Devonnsha Maxwell (DL), Brandon Dowdell (DB-2nd)
2020-21: Devonnsha Maxwell (DL)
SoCon Players of the Year (Head Coach)
2023: Jay Person (Defensive)
2022: McClendon Curtis (Jacobs Blocking Award), Jay Person (Defense)
2021: Devonnsha Maxwell (Defense), Cole Strange (Jacobs Blocking Award)
2020-21: Cole Strange (Jacobs Blocking Award)
All-Conference Picks (Head Coach)
2025: S Kam Baah-Slay (2nd), RB Ryan Ingram (2nd), OT Ryan Merklinger (2nd), LB Zion Rutledge (2nd)
2024: DB Josh Battle (1st), RB Reggie Davis (1st), K Jude Kelley (2nd), DB Reuben Lowery III (1st), WR Sam Phillips (1st), DT Marlon Taylor (1st), DB Jordan Walker (2nd), WR Javin Whatley (2nd), DT Quay Wiggles (2nd) & OL Reid Williams (1st)
2023: DE Ben Brewton (1st), DB Kameron Brown (1st), WR Jamoi Mayes (1st), Edge Jay Person (1st), P Clayton Crile (2nd), OL Griffin McDowell (2nd), DT Marlon Taylor (2nd), OL Reid Williams (2nd)
2022: LB Ty Boeck (1st), DL Ben Brewton (2nd), DB Kameron Brown (1st), OL McClendon Curtis (1st), RB Ailym Ford (1st), DB Reuben Lowery III (2nd), DL Devonnsha Maxwell (1st), LB Jay Person (1st), DL Marlon Taylor (2nd), OL Reid Williams (2nd)
2021: LB Ty Boeck (1st), DL Ben Brewton (1st), OL McClendon Curtis (1st), DB Brandon Dowdell (1st), DB Rashun Freeman (2nd), RB Ailym Ford (1st), DB Jerrell Lawson (1st), DL Devonnsha Maxwell (1st), LB Jay Person (2nd), OL Cole Strange (1st)
2020-21: LB Ty Boeck (2nd), OL McClendon Curtis (1st), DL Devonnsha Maxwell (1st), WR Reginald Henderson (2nd), LB Jay Person (2nd), OL Cole Strange (2nd)
2019: LB Marshall Cooper (1st), DB Brandon Dowdell (1st), RB Ailym Ford (1st), TE Chris James (1st), DL Devonnsha Maxwell (1st), WR Bryce Nunnelly (1st), LB Ty Boeck (2nd), DL Khayyan Edwards (2nd), OL Cole Strange (2nd)
CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-America Selections
2024: Reid Williams (OL-2nd)
2019: Bryce Nunnelly (WR-2nd)
CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District Selections
2025: OL Devin Lively, OL Ryan Merklinger, QB Camden Orth, OL Nick Paul, LS Grant Reid
2024: QB Chase Artopoeus, LB Kobe Joseph, DB Reuben Lowery III, LS Ethan Myers, OL Reid WIlliams
2023: QB Chase Artopoeus, P/K Clayton Crile, LS Jake Hall, OL Jeremiah Katt, OL Griffin McDowell, LB Alex Mitchell, OL Reid Williams
2022: WR Tyron Arnett, P/K Gabe Boring, DB Reuben Lowery III, K Aaron Sears, DB CaMiron Smith, OL Reid Williams
2021: RB Ailym Ford, DB Rashun Freeman, DB Jerrell Lawson, K Aaron Sears, DB CaMiron Smith, LB Christian Snyder, OL Cole Strange
2020-21: QB Drayton Arnold, RB Ailym Ford, DB Rashun Freeman, DB Jerrell Lawson, OL Cole Strange
2019: DB Jerrell Lawson, WR Bryce Nunnelly
FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team
2023: Reuben Lowery III & Reid Williams
2022: DB CaMiron Smith
2021: DB Jerrell Lawson & OL Cole Strange
2019: WR Bryce Nunnelly
Playoffs/Bowl Game
- 2023 NCAA FCS Playoffs
- 2017 AutoNation Cure Bowl Champs (GSU)
- 2016 NCAA FCS Playoffs
- 2015 NCAA FCS Playoffs
- 2014 NCAA FCS Playoffs (Quarterfinals)
Collegiate Coaching Highlights
- The 12 best GPAs in program history have come in Coach Rusty Wright's tenure (14 semesters) with four of 3.0 or better with a best of 3.25 in spring 2025 (thru Fall 2025). Fall 2021 (14th) & Fall 2022 (17th) are also in the top 20.
- 2024 offense became the ninth Mocs squad all time to record 31-plus points in six or more games..
- 2024 defense was just the 20th in program history to limit opponents to 10 or fewer points in six or more games with just three of those seasons coming in the "modern" era (1982, 1985, 2024).
- 2022 squad led the nation in fewest penalties (39) and penalties per game (3.55).
- 2017 GSU defense set school records for fewest points per game (24.75), fewest rushing yards per game (136.4), fewest yards per rushing attempt (4.13) and most sacks (24).
- Latest 4-year run as assistant at Chattanooga produced three SoCon Championships (2013-15) and three NCAA FCS Playoff appearances with a 36-16 mark overall & 25-5 in league play.
- MAC East titles in 2005 and 2007 at Miami (Ohio).
- 2007 Miami defense led the MAC in rushing, total and scoring defense as well as sacks.
Personal
Wife: Kelley
Daughter: Madison
Hometown: Petticoat Junction, S.C.
- Wife, the former Kelley Black, was a volleyball letter winner at Chattanooga
- Daughter Maddie played basketball at Belmont (2017-20)
Collegiate Career
Alma Mater: Chattanooga ‘95
Sports Played: Football
- Tight end catching more than 50 passes over his career alongside future NFL players Terrell Owens (HOF), Jerry Ellison & Marrio Grier
- Played center one season
- 4-year letter winner
Coach Rusty Wright at Kentucky in 2021 /// Photo by Logan Stapleton
