Troy University Athletics
Running Backs Coach James Joseph
11/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | General
James Joseph begins his third season as the running backs coach at Troy. He joined the staff in February 2004 after eight seasons as an assistant coach at Auburn High School.
Joseph is no stranger to big-time football, however, having played five seasons in the NFL in the mid-1990s following his standout career at Auburn University from 1986-90.
Joseph played for the Tigers while head coach Larry Blakeney was an assistant coach there, starting a relationship that has paid great dividends when the Trojans had a coaching vacancy prior to the 2004 season.
Joseph played in parts of five seasons at Auburn, helping lead the Tigers to three consecutive Southeastern Conference championships in 1988, 1989 and 1990. Auburn participated in five bowls games during his career: the Citrus (1986), Sugar (1987 and 1988), Hall of Fame (1989) and Peach (1990). Joseph also holds the distinction of being the only player in Auburn history to participate in five Auburn-Tennessee football games. During his sophomore season in 1987, Joseph was injured during the game between the two teams and missed the remainder of the season, later earning a medical red-shirt. He returned to play in the game again in 1988, 1989 and 1990.
Joseph still ranks eighth in school history in career rushing yards with 2,264 yards on 452 carries. He also scored 16 career touchdowns for the Tigers.
Following a stellar career on the Plains, Joseph went on to play five seasons in the NFL, four for the Philadelphia Eagles and one for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Eagles selected him in the seventh round of the 1991 NFL Draft. As a rookie Joseph tallied 440 yards on 135 carries.
During his career, he rushed 250 times for 823 yards and three touchdowns.
After completing his NFL career, Joseph returned to school and began his coaching career. He earned his bachelor's degree in Human Development from Auburn in 1997, while working at AHS. There, he worked with former Trojans Demarcus Ware (Dallas Cowboys), Branden Hall (Detroit Lions) and Osi Umenyiora (New York Giants), who all played at Auburn High while Joseph was an assistant coach.
He has three children, Jonathan (13), Jeremy (10) and Jamey (7).
