Missouri State

Broke up a pair of passes and had a tackle in the Maroon and White Spring Game (4/19/18).

2017: Played in all 11 games as a junior with 8 starts at cornerback ... Led all MVFC players with 25.1 yards per kickoff return in conference games ... Named MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week for win at Southern Illinois (11/4/17) after returning 4 kickoffs for a total of 134 yards, including a season-best 72-yarder ... Finished year with 31 total tackles, including 23 solos ... Notched season-high 6 tackles, all solos, at North Dakota State (9/30/17), including a tackle for loss ... Brought down 5 ball carriers against Illinois State (9/23/17) ... Had 4 tackles, 3 solos and a tackle for loss in home finale against UNI (11/11/17) ... Also had 4 stops at Youngstown State (11/18/17) ... Broke up a pair of passes in home win over Indiana State (10/28/17) ... Graduated in May 2018 with a degree in Sport and Park Administration.

2016: Played in all 11 games and earned 4 starts in the defensive secondary his sophomore year ... Tallied 24 total stops on the season, including 20 solo tackles ... Posted season-high 5 tackles, all solos in home win over Southern Illinois (10/29/16) with his only TFL of the year ... Picked off a pass at Illinois State (11/12/16) and also had a break-up ... Collected 3 total tackles, all solos, at UNI (10/22/16) and also produced 3 stops at South Dakota State (11/5/16) ... Was in on multiple tackles in 9 contests ... Earned MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll distinction for spring semester ... Also named to MVFC Honor Roll ... Posted 4 tackles in Maroon and White Spring Game (4/27/17).

2015: Redshirt freshman saw action in 11 contests and earned a pair of starts late in the season at cornerback … Finished year with 27 total tackles with a 1.5 tackles for loss … Posted 5 solo stops at South Dakota (10/24/15) … Was in on 4 tackles in season opener at Memphis (9/5/15) with 3 solos … Also logged 3 solo tackles in home opener against Chadron State (9/12/15) with a tackle for loss; and at Youngstown State (11/7/15) … Broke up a pass and forced a fumble at Arkansas State (9/19/15).

2014: Earned a medical redshirt in his first season at Missouri State after sustaining an injury in the home opener against North Dakota (9/13/14) ... Started season opener at Northwestern State (8/28/14) and had 4 tackles, including 3 solos ... Followed that effort with 7 solo stops at Oklahoma State (9/6/14), including a tackle for loss ... Brought down 2 UND ball carriers before injury in the season opener ... Returned to post 5 tackles with 4 solo stops and a pass break-up in the Maroon and White Spring Game (4/11/15).

High School: A versatile athlete, Rush helped Springfield’s Hillcrest High to a 7-4 campaign and trip to the district semifinals his senior season in 2013 ... He passed for 836 yards and 8 touchdowns while racking up 1,260 yards on 155 carries and 12 scores for Coach John Beckham’s Hornets ... After earning all-state honors at two other positions his first two seasons, he was named to the Class 4 all-state squad as an all-purpose player and was a Springfield News-Leader All-Ozarks pick in 2013 ... Played his freshman season at Carthage (Mo.) High and his sophomore year at Waynesville (Mo.) High before moving to Springfield for his junior and senior seasons.

Personal: Matthew Jaquan Rush was born 11/15/95 in Amory, Miss. .. Son of Wesley and Latisha Rush of Springfield, Mo. ... Has three siblings: Olivia, Kendal and Trevone ... Majoring in Graduate Studies.

CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 6 (at North Dakota St., 9/30/17); Solos: 6 (at North Dakota St., 9/30/17); TFL: 1.0 (4 times); Sacks: (1.0 at North Dakota St., 9/30/17; Interceptions: 1 (at Illinois St., 11/12/16).

CAREER HONORS
MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week: (11/4/17); MVFC Honor Roll: 2016; MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll: (Spring 2017).