AUBURN, Ala.—Coaching veterans T.J. Rushing and Roc Bellantoni have been named defensive assistant coaches at Auburn, head coach Hugh Freeze announced Wednesday. Rushing, who joined Auburn’s staff in June 2024 as a special assistant to the head coach, will coach Auburn’s safeties, while Bellantoni, who was most recently at Florida Atlantic and coached at Auburn from 2021-22, will coach the Tigers’ outside linebackers.
“We’re excited to move T.J. back into an on-field role as well as welcome Roc back to the Plains,” Freeze said. “T.J. has a Super Bowl champion pedigree and is an outstanding coach who relates very well with our players. Roc has a wealth of knowledge and experienced a lot of success in three decades of coaching at various levels during his career.”
A Super Bowl champion as a player, Rushing has over 12 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level including stops at Memphis, Stanford, Arizona State, Northern Arizona and Texas A&M.
“I’m very appreciative to Coach Freeze and Coach Durkin for this opportunity,” Rushing said. “I witnessed firsthand this past season how special Auburn is and what we are building here. I’m very familiar with Coach Durkin’s defense, previously working with him at another school, and know our defensive personnel here very well. I look forward to helping us build a championship-level defense and team.”
Bellantoni has 30 years of coaching experience, including 17 years as a defensive coordinator and another four years as a special teams coordinator.
“I am so thankful to Coach Freeze for allowing me the opportunity to return to the Plains,” Bellantoni said. “I thoroughly enjoyed my previous time at Auburn. I am excited and can’t wait to get back to work. Auburn is a special place with special people. I look forward to doing my part to help Coach Freeze succeed. I believe in Auburn and love it!”
“We’re excited to move T.J. back into an on-field role as well as welcome Roc back to the Plains,” Freeze said. “T.J. has a Super Bowl champion pedigree and is an outstanding coach who relates very well with our players. Roc has a wealth of knowledge and experienced a lot of success in three decades of coaching at various levels during his career.”
A Super Bowl champion as a player, Rushing has over 12 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level including stops at Memphis, Stanford, Arizona State, Northern Arizona and Texas A&M.
“I’m very appreciative to Coach Freeze and Coach Durkin for this opportunity,” Rushing said. “I witnessed firsthand this past season how special Auburn is and what we are building here. I’m very familiar with Coach Durkin’s defense, previously working with him at another school, and know our defensive personnel here very well. I look forward to helping us build a championship-level defense and team.”
Bellantoni has 30 years of coaching experience, including 17 years as a defensive coordinator and another four years as a special teams coordinator.
“I am so thankful to Coach Freeze for allowing me the opportunity to return to the Plains,” Bellantoni said. “I thoroughly enjoyed my previous time at Auburn. I am excited and can’t wait to get back to work. Auburn is a special place with special people. I look forward to doing my part to help Coach Freeze succeed. I believe in Auburn and love it!”
