Army West Point Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Running Backs
- Email:
- tucker.waugh@westpoint.edu
- Phone:
- 4460
Tucker Waugh is in his 24th season as a member of the Army Black Knights staff. Following 20 seasons serving on the coaching staff, Waugh enters his fourth season as Executive Director of Player Personnel in 2025.
In his role, he oversees the daily recruiting and personnel operations, which include prospect campus visits and evaluations.
Waugh coached at Army from 2000-04, departed to coach at Stanford (2005-06, and returned to coach at West Point (2007-21). With Army, Waugh has coached the slotbacks, wide receivers, and running backs.
The Army offense thrived under Waugh in 2020, as the team finished the year with a 9-3 record, paced by the nation’s fourth-best rushing attack. Waugh’s slotbacks aided in a ground game that averaged 275.3 yards per contest and controlled the ball for over 34 minutes per game, a total that was good for sixth in the country. Running back Tyrell Robinson earned All-Independent First Team Honors in 2020 with help from Waugh, as he rushed for 424 total yards in just his first collegiate season. Paced by a dominant rushing attack, Waugh and Army secured the Commander-in-Chief Trophy for the third time in four seasons with convincing victories over service academy rivals Air Force and Navy.
Waugh’s leadership and expertise with the triple option have helped spark the recent era of success under Head Coach Jeff Monken. With Waugh’s help, Army won back-to-back CIC trophies in 2017-18 for the first time in program history while simultaneously making - and winning - three straight bowl games. Under Waugh’s guidance, Army has been among the nation’s top rushing teams since 2010, holding a top-five ranking on nine occasions. In 2018, with help from Waugh, the Black Knights earned back-to-back Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy victories for the first time in program history. It was also the first time Army recorded consecutive 10-plus win seasons after breaking an Academy record with 11 wins.
Waugh helped teach slotbacks Kell Walker and Jordan Asberry to an impressive 2018 season. Walker was fifth on the team in rushing with 320 yards on 67 attempts. He posted a career-long 51-yard run against rival Navy, finishing with 109 total yards in the game. Asberry became Army’s leading receiver during the year. The senior finished with 219 yards on 11 catches with four touchdowns. In the Black Knights’ triumph over Houston in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, Asberry ran for a season-best 63 yards in five carries. In 2017, Waugh and the Black Knights brought home the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 1996 and won 10 games for only the second time in academy history at that time.
The Cadets claimed the NCAA rushing title, averaging 362.3 yards per game and scoring 50 rushing touchdowns to finish second in the nation and set a new program record. Army also led the country in total rushing yards with 4,710 on the year. Waugh’s slotback corps, led by Walker, finished with a career high of 629 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry during the 2017 season, which was the best average on the team. Walker recorded two 100-yard rushing games, including a career best 129 and three scores in a 42-19 win at Rice. Walker was also Army’s top receiver with 111 yards on the season. In 2016, Army was ranked second in the nation in rushing offense and was helped by slotbacks Asberry, Walker and Tyler Campbell. Asberry led the group with 421 yards and five touchdowns. Campbell was steady all season with 326 yards on the ground and two scores.
In 2015, he guided then-sophomore John Trainor to an average of 8.7 yards per carry and two rushing touchdowns. Trainor was also Army’s top receiver out of the backfield with eight catches for 176 yards and a touchdown. Then junior Joe Walker racked up 203 yards on the ground on 27 carries that season as well. Waugh tutored a pair of rookies in Asberry and Campbell, who made significant contributions throughout the 2015 season. Asberry had 30 carries for 213 yards, while Campbell had 118 yards on 17 rushes, including a 29-yard touchdown run in the Army-Navy Game.
In 2013, Army racked up 3,950 yards rushing and 4,678 yards of total offense. Waugh mentored freshman wide receiver Xavier Moss, who established an Army rookie record with 35 receptions. The total shattered the previous mark of 20 set by Jeremy Trimble in 2004, which was also set under Waugh’s guidance. Moss led the team with an Army freshman record of 463 receiving yards. Waugh has also mentored two-time 1,000-yard rusher Raymond Maples, one of just three players to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark twice in their career and was part of the 2010 staff that led Army to a victory in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.
During 2008, Waugh’s first season coaching running backs in Army’s triple-option system, he guided fullback Collin Mooney to a record-breaking season of 1,339 yards. Mooney had just 22 rushing yards before establishing the Academy single-season record. Waugh was a member of Bobby Ross’ coaching staff and then departed the Academy to work with head coach Walt Harris at Stanford in 2005. At Stanford, Waugh coached NFL All-Pro Richard Sherman to Freshman All-America honors as a wide receiver with the Cardinal. He had 34 catches for 581 yards during the 2006 season. In 2008, Waugh was recognized as one of the up-and-coming assistants in the nation. He was chosen to attend the NCAA Expert Coaches Forum in Dallas, Texas. The Forum is designed to improve and reinforce various aspects of securing, managing and excelling in head football coaching positions at the intercollegiate level. In 2009, Rivals.com named Waugh one of its top 10 recruiters among all non-Bowl Championship Series schools.
When Waugh first arrived at Army, he inherited a group of receivers that had caught a total of 14 career passes. Over the next three years, his Black Knight wideouts registered 322 receptions. During that time, he oversaw the development of Aaron Alexander, who graduated in 2005, ranking second on Army’s career charts for both receptions and receiving yards. Waugh mentored Alexander to an Academy-record 64 catches in 2003. His 861 receiving yards that season ranked third on the Army ledger at that time.
Prior to arriving at West Point, Waugh coached for five seasons at Illinois State (1995-99). He worked with the Redbirds outside linebackers in 1995, running backs in 1996 and wide receivers in his final three years. He mentored an All-Gateway Conference selection during each of his three seasons as receivers coach, with Marquis Mosely earning recognition in 1997 and Ricky Garrett copping laurels in both 1998 and 1999. Waugh helped to establish the Redbirds’ passing attack as one of the most prolific in the nation. Illinois State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 1998 and reached the Division I-AA national semifinals in 1999. A 1993 graduate of DePauw University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English Composition and Physical Education. Waugh began his coaching career at Otterbein College in 1993 overseeing the Cardinals’ quarterbacks. He returned to his alma mater in 1994 as a wide receivers coach. He also completed a coaching fellowship with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League. Waugh lettered at quarterback while playing at DePauw from 1990 to 1992 and was named the school’s “Outstanding Physical Education Major.”
Waugh resides at West Point with his sons, Jackson and Nicholas.
Year at Army West Point: 23rd
Career Year: 32nd
Hometown: Libertyville, Ill.
Family: sons, Jackson and Nicholas
EDUCATION
B.A., English and Physical Education, DePauw, 1993
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2007-2021: Army (slotbacks(15-21)/wide receivers(14)/slotbacks(13-14)/running backs(07-12)/recruiting coordinator(09-12))
2005-06: Stanford (wide receivers)
2000-04: Army (wide receivers)
1995-99: Illinois State (wide receivers)
1994: DePauw (wide receivers)
1993: Otterbein (quarterbacks)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Helped Army lead the nation in rushing and set a new program record with 50 rushing touchdowns in 2017.
• Guided Kell Walker to a team high 7.3 yards per carry in 2017.
• Tutored John Trainor to 8.7 yards per carry in 2015 and eight catches for 176 yards
• Mentored Xavier Moss in 2013 to set the rookie record with 35 receptions for 463 yards in his first year
• Member of the coaching staff that won the 2010 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
• Guided Colin Mooney to a record-breaking season in 2008 as running backs coach with Mooney gaining 1,339 yards
• Made the NCAA FCS Semifinals in 1999 after establishing a prolific passing offense at Illinois State
