Auburn linebackers coach Josh Aldridge named to 30 rising-star Power Five coaches

Cole Pinkstonby:Cole Pinkston•08/23/23•

ColePinkston

Josh Aldridge, Auburn linebackers coach, is in his first year with the Tigers. He has now been named by other coaches as one of the 30 rising star Power Five assistant coaches according to On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Zenitz wrote that when asking around different sources in the coaching world, Aldridge was one of the names that other coaches see as a rising star in the profession.

Aldridge is very much respected by Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze and others for his coaching ability, too. Before following Freeze to Auburn, Aldridge spent four seasons as an assistant under Freeze at Liberty, including as the Flames’ defensive coordinator last year. Under Aldridge, Liberty ranked first nationally in tackles for loss, fourth in sacks, 15th in interceptions and 19th in third-down defense.

“Really good work ethic and knowledge of defensive football,” Freeze told On3 of Aldridge. “Incredible energy and relentless recruiter.”

Recruiting under Aldridge so far

Aldridge has not yet coached a game at Auburn, but he has already set the college football world on notice.

He played a key role in Auburn flipping 5-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick from Clanton (Ala.) Chilton County from Georgia. Riddick was also strongly considering Alabama. It was one of the first big recruiting wins for Auburn against both Alabama and Georgia in a long time.

Aldridge was key in Auburn landing 4-star 2025 linebacker Jakaleb Faulk from Highland Home (Ala.). The Tigers landed him over Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and Florida.

Aldridge also has 3-star linebacker D’Angelo Barber from Pinson (Ala.) Clay-Chalkville committed. Barber was recently named by Zenitz as one of 22 unheralded recruits college football staffers are high on.

After landing the three backers, most notably after the Riddick flip, Aldridge tweeted “#NewNorm.” It was to signify that recruiting success like he has had will be normal during the Freeze era at Auburn.

Coaching and personal info on Aldridge

Josh Aldridge – Recapping Three Seasons at Liberty

  • 2021 Broyles Award nominee (top assistant coach of the year)
  • Aldridge’s defensive players have helped Liberty win three-straight bowl games (2019 and 2020 FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl and the 2021 LendingTree Bowl).
  • Liberty is one of five FBS teams in the country who have won a bowl game each of the last three seasons. It joins Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana.
  • Liberty is the second FBS transitioning team in NCAA history to win three-consecutive bowl games during its first three full seasons at the FBS level.
  • Liberty finished the 2020 season with a 10-1 record. The Flames ranked No. 17 in the final Associated Press poll, its highest end-of-the-year national ranking in program history.
  • Liberty was one of three FBS teams in the country to rank in the top 20 in both total offense (No. 15) and total defense (No. 11) in 2020, joining BYU and Clemson.
  • Liberty was one of eight FBS teams in the country to rank in the top 25 in both total offense (No. 24) and total defense (No. 25) in 2021.
  • Liberty finished the 2021 season ranked No. 6 in the country in passing yards allowed (180.3 per game), No. 11 in Red Zone defense (72.5 percent), total defense (320.2 yards allowed per game), No. 14 in tackles for a loss (7.1 per game), No. 24 in scoring defense (21.5 points allowed per game) and No. 28 in sacks (2.85 per game).
  • Liberty had 10 players named to the 2021 Phil Steele FBS Independent All-Conference teams, including defensive end TreShaun Clark and defensive tackles Elijah James and Ralfs Rusins.
  • Elijah James (45 tackles), TreShaun Clark (44 tackles) and Rusins (35 tackles) each ranked inside the Flames’ top 10 tacklers in 2021.
  • Junior college transfer Durrell Johnson made an immediate impact during his first season at Liberty in 2020 and was named to the Phil Steele Postseason All-America team (fourth team).
  • Johnson led the Flames with 11.5 tackles for a loss (74 yards) and 8.5 sacks (65 yards) and ranked No. 28 in the country in sacks per game (0.77) in 2020.
  • Jessie Lemonier finished his two-year career at Liberty with 20.5 sacks, which ranked third among FBS players nationally in total sacks recorded during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns.
  • Following the 2020 NFL Draft, Lemonier signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.
  • Along with Lemonier, three other free agent signees and fourth-round draft selection Antonio Gandy-Golden (WR), Liberty had five players sign with NFL franchises in 2020, the most in program history.
  • Lemonier was also named to the VaSID all-state team and became the first player in program history to be named to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team after being named the MVP at the Cure Bowl.
  • Aldridge helped develop nose guard Ralfs Rusins, who recorded 94 tackles during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, after recording only 21 tackles during his previous 25 career games played.
  • Rusins finished his six-year playing career with 61 career games played, 150 tackles (55 solo, 95 assisted), 17.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks.
  • The Flames finished the 2019 season ranked No. 28 in the country in sacks (2.69 per game) and No. 31 in interceptions (12).

Aldridge at a glance

Coaching Experience:
      2019-present – Liberty (DL, Co-DC, LB)
      2018 – Lenoir-Rhyne (DC/LB)
      2014-17 – West Georgia (DL/Rec. Coord.)
      2013 – Ouachita Baptist (DL)
      2013 – Lindenwood (GA)
Education: Bachelor’s degree in social sciences (Harding, ’12)
Wife: Jessica
Children: Braxton and Nora
Hometown: Jackson, Tenn

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