Jim Gush was named UIW’s defensive coordinator in January of 2023. Gush’s defense led the Southland Conference in total defense, points allowed per game, passing yards allowed, third down conversion, and defensive touchdowns. Five Cardinal defenders received All-Conference honors led by Steven Parker who also received third-team All-American honors.
Gush arrived in San Antonio from the University of North Texas where he spent two seasons as the Mean Green Linebacker coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator. Gush mentored Larry Nixon, the 2022 first-team All C-USA LB and KD Davis, the 2022 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, and UNT’s all-time leading tackler.
Prior to UNT, Gush served as McNeese State’s defensive coordinator in 2019 directing a defense that held opponents to 25.9 points per game and produced Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year (DE) Chris Livings.
He was the Defensive Coordinator (2017) and Head Coach (2018) at Navarro College leading the Bulldogs to the Salt City Bowl in his lone season as Head Coach.
From 2011-2016, Gush coached six seasons at Baylor where he was Linebacker coach and Defensive Recruiting Coordinator. In his time with the Bears, Gush helped the program to a pair of Big 12 Championships in 2013-14, six bowl appearances, and mentored 10 All-Big 12 players.
Gush arrived in Waco from Stony Brook where he spent two seasons as Assistant Head Coach for defense winning back-to-back Big South Championships. As Defensive Coordinator at Stony Brook, his 2010 defense led the Big South in interceptions (17) and turnovers forced (26). In 2009, the Seawolves led the Big South in scoring defense allowing a conference-low 15 touchdowns in six games. Senior LB, Tyler Santucci was named 2009 Big South Player of the Year and Gush had six all-conference players in two seasons.
Prior to Stony Brook, Gush spent six seasons (2002-07) as SMU’s defensive coordinator. In addition to his coordinator duties, he also served as the position coach with the linebackers for one year and defensive backs for 5 seasons. The Mustangs led C-USA and ranked 24th nationally against the run in 2006 under Gush. He coached Joe Sturdivant to All-CUSA accolades at safety in 2005 and 2006 and coached Vic Viloria to first-team All-WAC honors in 2002.
He coached from 1999 to 2001 at Kansas State, where he served as linebackers coach and the Wildcats ranked among the nation’s top four in total defense all three seasons and made three bowl appearances with a 28-10 record. In 2000, Kansas State ranked fourth in the nation in total defense, while in 1999 the Wildcats were second in total defense and led the nation in pass efficiency defense. During the 1999 season, Gush coached Butkus Award runner-up and consensus All-American Mark Simoneau, who was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Prior to Kansas State, Gush spent 12 seasons at Garden City Community College in Kansas, three as Head Coach and nine as Defensive Coordinator. He compiled a 29-7 win-loss record in three seasons as Head Coach and led Garden City to top 10 finishes each year – No. 7 (10-2) in 1996, No. 4 (10-2) in 1997 and No. 7 (9-3) in 1998. In 1997, Gush led Garden City CC to a Jayhawk Conference championship and a berth in the Red River Bowl, the national championship game. His 1996 squad played in the Real Dairy Bowl and his 1998 team won the Valley of the Sun Bowl. Garden City CC produced a first-team JC All-American every season Gush was a coach there and played in the Jayhawk Conference Championship game in 10 of his 12 seasons with the Broncbusters.
Gush began his collegiate coaching career at Albany in 1983 where he coached defensive backs. He moved to Iowa State in 1984 as a graduate assistant serving as special teams coordinator and assistant defensive backs coach before moving to Garden City.
A 1981 graduate of Bucknell University with a B.S. in economics, Gush was a four-year starter for the Bison. He earned a master’s degree in higher education from Iowa State in 1986.
A native of Elmira, N.Y., he and his wife, Anne, have two children, Stephanie and Jordan.
