Senior defensive lineman for Minnesota. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 265 lb · Woodbridge, VA
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
How he plays
Disrupts the pocket from the interior.
QB hurries: 93rd percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
sack · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1.5 TFL, 4 tackles, vs Eastern Illinois
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior defensive lineman for Minnesota. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
T.J. Bush
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. T.J. Bush has played for three head coaches across four seasons and three programs. The receipt on tape: 7 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Mississippi State, Week 2, 2026.
12 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coachPlayed his entire career under P.J. Fleck.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Minnesota
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Minnesota | 12 | 5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | California | 39 | 16 | 10.5 | 4.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Liberty | 58 | 22 | 9.5 | 5.5 | 4 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Liberty | 30 | 9 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 3 | -- | -- |
| Career | 139 | 52 | 28.5 | 12.0 | 8 | -- | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Eastern Illinois | 4 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 13-38vs Mississippi State | 7 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Wk 3 | W 41-7vs Akron | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 12 | 5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 59–7
1 sacks · 1.5 tackles for loss · 4 tackles
Dominant 52-point win at home against Eastern Illinois.
With J. Tracy — 5 rec · 98 yds · D. Lindsey — 264 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 86.2 · 6 rush yds (2 car)
Since week 2: +0.5 tackles for loss, +1 tackle, +1 hurry.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: qb hurries (93rd percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (87th percentile). Concern: solo tackles (21st percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
TFL rate
21%2 TFLSack rate
8%1 sacksHurry rate
17%2 hurries12 tackles · 2 for loss · 1 sacks.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
P.J. Fleck
Pass share
57.1%
112 pass / 84 run
Plays / game
65.3
3 games
Team sack rate
1.7%
119 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Pass-leaning.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 1,695 recruit in the country is starting on the defensive line in the Big Ten as a senior.
Player DNA
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Emmanuel Waller’s 2025 season.
Matches Emmanuel on
Differs from Emmanuel on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Bennett Adler's senior season at Akron (2024).
Matches Bennett on
Player DNA
19 more on the roster · Minnesota team page