Rockets Add RJ Fleming to Football Coaching Staff

TOLEDO, Ohio— RJ Fleming has been hired as an assistant football coach at the University of Toledo, Head Coach Jason Candle announced today. Fleming will coach the wide receivers for the Rockets.

Fleming has 10 years of experience in the college coaching ranks. Mostly recently he served as an offensive analyst at Auburn. For the 2022 season, he coached the running backs at Texas State. He also has had stints at TCU (2016-18), Liberty (2019-20) and Eastern Michigan (2021).

“I’m super excited to welcome RJ and his family to Toledo,” said Candle, who is entering his eighth season as the Rockets’ head coach. “RJ is a bright young coach who has a bright future ahead of him. He certainly brings a lot of energy to the practice field. He will help us in recruiting and ultimately help in the development of our receivers. I think he will be a great fit to our staff. We’re excited to get him here and get him started.”

“The University of Toledo is one of the hottest brands of college football in the country,” said Fleming. “I am absolutely blessed to have the opportunity to work with Coach Candle and to serve our football program, our staff, our players and our fans. Go Rockets!”

Fleming began his collegiate coaching career in 2015 as a graduate assistant at Arkansas Tech before assuming the role of defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill. later that same year. In 2016, he joined TCU’s coaching staff as an offensive graduate assistant working with the wide receivers. In his three years with the Horned Frogs, he was a part of a program that won 23 games and made three bowl appearances. 

Fleming joined Liberty in 2019, where he served as an offensive quality control coach for two seasons. The 2020 season was the best in school history for the Flames, after finishing the year ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press poll and No. 18 in the Coaches Poll.  Both national rankings were the highest ever in program history. The Flames finished the season with a 10-1 record, tying the program’s record for wins in a season.

In 2021, Fleming coached wide receivers at Eastern Michigan, helping the Eagles to a 7-6 record and an appearance in the Lending Tree Bowl. EMU ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in passing offense (262.9) that season, with junior wide receiver Hassan Beydoun ranking second in the MAC with 97 receptions, racking up 1,015 receiving yards and earning All-MAC honors.

At Texas State in 2022, Fleming coached running backs and returners. The Bobcats had the No. 12 red zone offense in the country and were led by Lincoln Pare’s 760 rushing yards.

Fleming has appeared in eight bowl games in his playing and coaching career, and has coached seven players who have played in the NFL.

A native of Natchez, Miss., Fleming played wide receiver at Arkansas State from 2010-13. He appeared in 39 career games, picking up 46 receptions for 421 yards to go along with nine kickoff returns with an average of 33.8 yards. ASU appeared in both the 2012 and 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowls, with Fleming earning a start in the 2012 edition of the game.

After graduation, Fleming played for the San Angelo Bandits and the Arizona Rattlers of the Professional Indoor Football League in 2015.

Fleming earned his bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State in 2014 and master’s degree from TCU in 2017. He and his wife, Emily, have a son, Cayson, and a daughter, Gianna.