Josh Aldridge announced as new Auburn linebackers coach
AUBURN – Josh Aldridge is Auburn’s new linebackers coach, Hugh Freeze confirmed during his early signing day press conference on Wednesday.
Aldridge was co-defensive coordinator at Liberty under Freeze and also coached linebackers.
Freeze’s first staff at Auburn is nearly complete. Auburn Live expects Freeze to offer the wide receivers coaching position to Missouri’s Jacob Peeler following Missouri’s bowl game on Friday.
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Liberty’s official bio of Aldridge says the following:
Josh Aldridge, a William V. Campbell Trophy Award Semifinalist during his playing days at Harding, joined head coach Hugh Freeze’s coaching staff as the defensive line coach in 2019.
Shortly after the conclusion of the 2021 season, Aldridge was promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator. During the 2022 season, Aldridge will coach Liberty’s linebackers.
Aldridge came to Liberty after serving as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Lenoir-Rhyne during the 2018 season.
The Bears posted a 12-2 record and ranked No. 1 in the country in turnovers caused and No. 9 in scoring defense, while advancing to the NCAA Division II Super Region 2 finals.
Prior to leading Lenoir-Rhyne’s defense, Aldridge served as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at West Georgia (2014-17).
Working alongside fellow Liberty coaching staff members Sam Gregg, Rickey Hunley and Scott Symons, Aldridge helped West Georgia to three NCAA Division II playoff appearances (2014, 2015, and 2017), back-to-back 12-win seasons, two NCAA Division II Super Region 2 titles (2014 and 2015) and a Gulf South Conference crown in 2015.
Harding graduated from Harding in 2012 with a degree in social sciences, where he was a four-year letterwinner and a two-time All-Great American Conference honoree. He started his coaching career at Ouachita Baptist and Lindenwood in 2013.
Josh Aldridge – Recapping Three Seasons on the Mountain
- 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, joining 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 and 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.
