Years In Coaching: 13th
Years at USF: 1st
Alma Mater: Harding, ‘12 – Bachelor’s in exercise sciences
Family: Wife: Jessica; Son: Braxton; Daughter: Nora
Hometown: Jackson, Tenn.
NOTABLE:
• Led ECU defense to top the American Conference in seven categories in 2025.
• Four seasons as a defensive coach at Liberty (2019-22), including serving as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2022.
• Aldridge's 2022 Liberty defense ranked first nationally in tackles for loss (9.3 tpg), third in sacks (3.46), 14
th in turnovers gained (24), 15th in passes intercepted.
• 2021 Broyles Award nominee as one of the nation’s top assistant coaches.
• Defensive coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne (2018) as the Bears posted a 12-2 record and ranked No. 1 in the country in turnovers caused and No. 9 in scoring defense.
• A four-year letterwinner, two-time All-Great American Conference honoree and William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist at Harding University.
Josh Aldridge was Brian Hartline’s first addition to his first South Florida staff in December of 2025 as defensive coordinator.
Aldridge came 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.
A William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist during his playing days at Harding University, Aldridge arrived at ECU after serving as linebackers coach at Auburn for two seasons (2023 & 2024).
BEFORE SOUTH FLORIDA
ECU: During the 2025 season with Aldridge serving as defensive coordinator, ECU led the American Conference in seven categories, including 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 4
th nationally is sacks, 7
th in redzone defense and 13
th 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.
AUBURN: Aldridge served as linebackers coach at Auburn for two seasons (2023 & 2024).
LIBERTY: 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), 14
th 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), No. 11 in 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.
LENOIR-RHYNE: Aldridge served 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.
WEST GEORGIA: Aldridge served as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at West Georgia (2014-17). He 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.
PLAYING CAREER (Harding University)
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.
PERSONAL
He and his wife, Jessica, have two children, Braxton and Nora.
COACHING CAREER
2026 South Florida Defensive Coordinator/Inside LB’s
2025 ECU Defensive Coordinator
2023-24 Auburn Linebackers Coach
2022 Liberty Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
2019-21 Liberty Defensive Line Coach
2018 Lenoir-Rhyne Defensive Coordinator/Linebackersb
2014-17 West Georgia Defensive Line/Recruiting Coord.
– #GoBulls –
