PUMPHREY BACK AS COACH
Aztecs opportunity comes two months after earning degree
DJ Pumphrey’s Twitter bio has listed three things he’s pretty proud of: “SDSU Alumni, Super Bowl Champ, The AllTime Leading Rusher in College Football History.”
Pumphrey has added a fourth achievement: “Graduate Assistant Coach at SDSU.”
“Grad School here I come,” Pumphrey tweeted Thursday night. “Who would’ve thought I’d pursue my masters.”
San Diego State has not made an official announcement, although Pumphrey has been angling for this opportunity since returning to SDSU last year to complete his degree.
He graduated in May and expected to spend another year as the varsity running backs coach and freshman head coach at Bishop’s.
That was before Pierre
Cormier, one of SDSU’s four graduate assistants, departed recently to become cornerbacks coach at Idaho State (which happens to be the Aztecs’ Week 2 opponent).
Pumphrey could not immediately be reached for comment, but he made his intentions pretty clear two months ago on the eve of his graduation ceremony.
“I want to coach at the college level,” he said. “That’s always been a dream of mine. I had to graduate to fulfill that dream . ...
“I feel like I have so much knowledge from the game and didn’t get to utilize it at the next level. I want to give it to this next generation and watch them succeed.”
Pumphrey became the NCAA’s career rushing leader (6,405 yards) during the Aztecs’ 2016 Las Vegas Bowl victory over Houston before picking up a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles organization.
He transitioned from playing to coaching two years ago, and he has been very visible with the SDSU football program the past year.
Pumphrey visited practice frequently last fall, speaking often with current players while soaking up details that could help with his coaching career.
He was among 10 former SDSU greats named as program ambassadors over the winter.
He was honorary head coach for one of the teams in the 2022 Spring game, leading Team Pumphrey to a 28-6 victory over Team Sipe.
SDSU running back Chance Bell, for one, was eager to soak up Pumphrey’s insight.
“He had great vision,” Bell said during an interview in Las Vegas at last week’s Mountain West media days, “so when he says he saw something on a certain play, you’re going to take account of that.”
As examples, Bell mentioned a couple of plays Pumphrey pointed out during the spring game. He advised patience for a hole to open in one instance and eyed a backside gap that invited a cutback in another instance.
“When you go back and watch the film, it’s like, ‘Oh, I see what he’s saying.’ ” Bell said. “He has an eye for the game. Definitely.”
SDSU running backs coach Jeff Horton was among those who encouraged Pumphrey to complete his degree and position himself for this opportunity.
“He can come take my place one day,” Horton said in May while celebrating Pumphrey’s pending graduation.
Horton seemed to have things pretty well mapped out.
“Start him out working under us as a grad assistant, learn the ropes and work his way up,” Horton said. “He knows how to play, obviously. I’ve watched him train guys on the side . ... He commands instant respect with what he’s done. He’s going to be a great coach.”
Fall camp is a week away. For Pumphrey, it can’t come soon enough.