Rouse, at 5-7, is one of the toughest and most complete running backs in the nation
Last updated on Jan. 20, 2012
Joe Wade begins his fourth season as the running backs coach at Fresno State. He was the lone assistant coach retained from the previous staff when Tim DeRuyter was hired as the new Bulldog head coach.
Wade's four years with the program have seen the Bulldog running backs go through some of the most productive seasons in school history, and the evidence is all over the record books.
Wade joined the Bulldog coaching staff on Feb. 24, 2009 and in his first season he led running back Ryan Mathews to the NCAA rushing crown. Mathews set Fresno State single-season records with 1,808 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns en route to earning All-America honors and first-team All-WAC accolades. He went on to be drafted No. 12 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2010 NFL Draft.
Then these past two seasons, Wade has guided Robbie Rouse to back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Rouse's 2,678 rushing yards from 2010-11 are the most by a Bulldog tailback in consecutive seasons. He was a first-team All-WAC selection in 2011 and enters his senior season in 2012 317 yards shy of breaking the school's all-time rushing record that has stood since 1993.
Prior to joining the Fresno State staff, Wade served as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Eastern Washington. During his tenure with the Eagles, Wade also served as the running backs/receivers coach for eight years.
He coached the top two running backs in EWU history in Jesse Chatman and Jovan Griffith, who rank first and second, respectively, in its record books.
Before his time at Eastern Washington, Wade served as the running backs coach at Montana State. He also held four summer coaching internships in the NFL, working with the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams.
Wade played collegiately for Linfield College from 1986-91 as a quarterback and he was a member of the 1986 NAIA National Championship team. Prior to college, Wade played football, basketball and baseball for South Eugene High School in Eugene, Ore.
A native of Los Angeles, Calif., Wade was born on Jan. 23, 1968. He has three children: daughters Cierra and Simone, and a son, Joe Wade, III. Wade holds a bachelor's degree in physical education from Linfield College in 1991.
