TAMPA, FLA., DEC. 9, 2025 – South Florida Football Head Coach Brian Hartline made his first addition to his first USF coaching staff Tuesday, when he named Josh Aldridge – a 2008 Jackson Christian graduate – as the Bulls defensive coordinator.
A two-time, all-state defensive end at Jackson Christian, he helped the Eagles become the 2006 Class 1A state champions when he was a junior. Jackson Christian is the only Jackson school to have won a football state championship since playoffs began in 1969.
Aldridge comes to South Florida after one season at East Carolina in which he led the Pirates defense to finishing atop the American Conference in seven categories. ECU led the league in total defense (348.8 ypg), scoring defense (20.3 ppg), rushing defense (120.3 ypg), red zone defense (.714), third down defense (.302), sacks (2.50 sgp) and tackles for loss (7.8 tpg)–ranking 4th nationally is sacks, 7th in redzone defense and 13th in third down defense. ECU also ranked second in The American in first down defense (226) and fumble recoveries (10) and third in total turnovers gained (19) as Aldridge led 2025 first-team all-conference selections in safety Ja’Marley Riddle and defensive tackle Zion Wilson.
“Josh Aldridge led the top defense in the American Conference this season and has built a reputation for producing aggressive, physical and relentlessly attacking units,” Hartline said. “Josh will be an exceptional leader and mentor for our players, and I’m thrilled to welcome him and his family to Bulls Nation.”
A William V. Campbell Trophy Award semifinalist during his playing days at Harding University, Aldridge arrived at ECU after serving as linebackers coach at Auburn for two seasons (-2023 & 2024).
Aldridge also spent four seasons as a defensive coach at Liberty (2019-22), including serving as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2022. He was the Flames’ defensive line coach his first three seasons before being promoted to co-defensive coordinator shortly after the 2021 season in which he was a Broyles Award nominee as one of the nation’s top assistant coaches.
Aldridge’s 2022 Liberty defense ranked first nationally in tackles for loss (9.3 tpg), third in sacks (3.46), 14th in turnovers gained (24), 15th in passes intercepted, 19th in third down defense and 25th in first down defense. Defensive end Durrell Johnson led the nation in tackles for loss (22.5) and was tied for third in the country in fumbles recovered (3). Aldridge also served as interim head coach in Liberty’s appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl.
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 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).
Under Aldridge’s tutelage, Johnson made an immediate impact during his first season at Liberty in 2020 and was named to the Phil Steele All-America fourth team. Johnson led the Flames with 11.5 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks. Jessie Lemonier, another Aldridge product, 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.
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).
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.
A native of Jackson, Tennessee, Aldridge graduated from Harding University 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 and his wife, Jessica, have two children, Braxton and Nora.
