A former running back who played collegiately at Notre Dame and holds the school record for rushing yards (4,318) and ranks second in both rushing TDs (43) and all-purpose yards (5,327), Autry Denson is in his second season as the Cardinals running backs coach after joining the team on 3/1/23. He came to Arizona with 12 years of collegiate coaching experience, including four seasons (2019-22) as the head coach at Charleston Southern University.
With the Cardinals in 2023, RB James Conner ran for his first 1,000-yard season (1,040) and had his fourth consecutive year with 1,000+ scrimmage yards (1,205). Conner led the NFL in runs of 20+ yards (11), ranked 2nd in rushing yards/game (80.0) and 3rd in runs of 10+ yards. The Cardinals led the NFL with 23 runs of 20+ yards, becoming one of only three teams to have at least 23 runs of 20+ yards in the last 10 years. Arizona finished the season 4th in the NFL in rushing yards (2,365) and 2nd in rushing average (5.02) while leading the league with four games of 200+ rushing yards. The 2023 season marked just the second time since 1970 – and first time in 44 years – the Cardinals finished a season ranked in the top-5 in the league in rushing yards (3rd in 1979). It was the fourth-most rushing yards in a single-season in Cardinals history and the second-best rushing average in team annals.
In the 2024 offseason, Denson was selected to serve as the running backs coach for the American team at the Senior Bowl.
Before coming to the NFL, Denson coached running backs at his alma mater, Notre Dame, for four seasons (2015-18) prior to taking the job at Charleston Southern. Denson also was a two-time participant of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship (Indianapolis 2012-13). As head coach at Charleston Southern, Denson had a 6-6 record in his first season (2019) and had 12 players on the Big South All-Conference team that season, including All-American S Cody Cline. After a shortened season in 2020 due to COVID, the Buccaneers finished the next two seasons with a combined 6-14 record.
As a Notre Dame assistant, Denson helped the Fighting Irish to an undefeated regular season in 2018 and a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Cotton Bowl. Notre Dame ran for 2,695 yards that year, paced by RB Dexter Williams' team-leading 995 rushing yards and 12 TDs. In 2017, the Irish ran for 3,503 yards as a team, the 7th best rushing offense (269.3 ypg) in the FBS. RB Josh Adams had 1,430 rushing yards and RB Brandon Wimbush had 14 TDs that season. As a team, Notre Dame ran for 1,471 yards and 10 TDs in 2016, gaining an average of 5.3 yards per carry.
In his first year with the Fighting Irish in 2015, the team had a 6.5-yard rushing average as Denson tutored RB C.J. Prosise who ran for 1,032 yards. Prosise, who was drafted by Seattle in the third-round of the 2016 NFL Draft, eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards faster than any Irish running back in school history outside of All-American Reggie Brooks (1992). Adams rushed for a freshman school record 835 yards in 2015, including a freshman program single-game record 168 yards at Stanford. Notre Dame averaged 207.6 rushing yards per game that season.
Denson returned to Notre Dame as an assistant in 2015 after coaching running backs at Miami (OH) University (2014) and Bethune-Cookman (2011-13). While at Bethune-Cookman, Denson helped the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and berth in the FCS playoffs in 2013. In 2012, RB Isidore Jackson ran for 1,069 yards, becoming the first Wildcat to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards since 1997. His running back group that season ran for 2,928 yards and 28 TDs, helping Bethune-Cookman lead the conference and rank 10th nationally in rushing (244.4 ypg). The previous year, the Wildcats ran for 2,058 yards and finished 5th in the FCS in rushing offense (259.3 ypg). Denson started his coaching career as the head coach at Pope John Paul II High School (Boca Raton, FL) in 2010.
He was selected by Tampa Bay in the seventh-round of 1999 NFL Draft and spent time with the Buccaneers (1999), Dolphins (1999-2000), Bears (2001), Colts (2002) and Lions (2002) prior to playing the 2004 season with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Denson appeared in 34 career NFL games (one start) and had 212 rushing yards and 133 receiving yards while also returning 45 kickoffs for 1,067 yards (23.7-yard avg.) and collecting 12 special teams tackles. While in the CFL in 2004, he finished 8th in the league with 772 rushing yards and nine TDs.
Denson finished his record-setting Notre Dame playing career with MVP honors at the 1999 Gator Bowl and was a two-time team MVP (1997-98). A three-year starter, he had 100+ rushing yards in 21 games in his four years with the Irish, had three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons and was an All-American selection as a senior in 1998.
Away from the field, Denson formed a youth program called POISE (Perseverance, Opportunity, Intelligence, Sacrifice, and Effort) that worked with teenage athletes throughout Broward County (FL) in education, on the field, and in Bible study. He was also the inaugural commissioner of the Run for Your Goal Youth (RFYG) Flag Football League which provided a safe place for the youth of South Florida to learn the game of football. Denson and his family formed the Denson Family Legacy Foundation with the mission of allowing our faith in God to be the foundation of our family. For more information, visit www.densonfamilylegacy.com.
Denson and his wife, Elaine, have four children: Ashley, Autry, Elijah and Asia along with twin grandchildren, Ace and Aubrey.
