Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 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 |
| Total | 11 | 5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#3
T.J. Bush
Senior defensive lineman for Minnesota. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 265 lb · Woodbridge, VA
CFB Index 71 · #118 of 583 LBsLow confidenceTransferred California → Minnesota for 2026
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.
The numbers
1
sack · 2026
2 TFL · 11 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1.5 TFL, 4 tackles, vs Eastern Illinois
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for Minnesota. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Liberty in 2023.
- Transferred from California to Minnesota in 2026.
T.J. Bush
Wins his gap play after play. 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.
11 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
202313 games
- Signed with Liberty3-star out of Bishop Ireton
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Minnesota
Played his entire career under P.J. Fleck.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Minnesota
2025California
2026Minnesota
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Liberty13-1HC: Jamey Chadwell · Run-heavy
2024Liberty8-4HC: Jamey Chadwell · Run-heavy
2025California7-6HC: Justin Wilcox · Pass-leaning
2026Minnesota1-1HC: P.J. Fleck · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (85th percentile). Concern: tackles (27th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
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.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 5.5 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
P.J. Fleck
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Minnesota | 11 | 5 | 2.0 | 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 | 138 | 52 | 28.0 | 12.0 | 8 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 59–7
4 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 SACKS
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)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Dante Sawyer’s 2017 season.
Matches Dante on
Weight
TFL rate
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Daniel Joseph's senior season at NC State (2021).
90%match
Matches Daniel on
Class year
Height
Hurry rate
Player DNA
Players who play like T.J. Bush
The defensive line · Minnesota
- Anthony Smith17.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #3T.J. Bush10.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #11Karter Menz9 tackles for loss · 2025
- #1Jaxon Howard5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #70Naquan Crowder3 tackles for loss · 2025
19 more on the roster · Minnesota team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology