Entering 2026, TJ McCollum will begin his second season at Tarleton State as Texan Football Defensive Assistant.
McCollum’s duties include helping develop the defensive game plan for each opponent and working specifically with the secondary.
On the Tarleton State Football staff during the historic season in 2025, the Texans posted its best season in the Division era. The Texans won a share of the United Athletic Conference title, earned the No. 4 seed in the FCS Playoffs, and advanced to the quarterfinals in just their second year of playoff eligibility as a Division I program. Tarleton State began the season winning a pair of nationally televised games (42-0 at Portland State on ESPN2 during Week 0, 30-27 OT at Army on CBS Sports Network during Week 1), and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls. With an overtime win against Austin Peay on Nov. 22, the Texans clinched a share of the UAC Championship. It was Tarleton State's third conference championship in the past eight seasons, and the Texans' sixth conference championship as an NCAA institution. The 2025 conference title marked Tarleton State Football's first conference championship in the NCAA Division I era, and Tarleton State Athletics' second regular season conference championship in the D1 era (Tennis in 2022). When the Selection Show came around, it was no surprise to see Tarleton State’s name in the playoff field. The Texans not only earned a first-round bye, but also collected their highest-ever playoff seed as a Division I program. Tarleton State clinched its 12th win of the season with their victory in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, matching the most in a single season in program history. The United Athletic Conference co-champions and No. 4 seed reached the final eight for the first time in their Division I history. Tarleton State was just the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first active FCS program to accomplish that feat since 1985 (Eastern Washington). The Texans were ranked No. 6 in both the final Stats Perform Top 25 Poll and the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. The record-setting season was recognized with a plethora of awards. In addition to having 12 players named to All-UAC Teams, four Texans earned spots on the Stats Perform FCS All-America Teams. Tarleton State was also well represented nationally in the postseason awards, having Texans as finalists for the Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice, Eddie Robinson and Walter Payton awards. Academically, 12 Texans earned spots on the UAC All-Academic Teams.
Before arriving in Stephenville, McCollum spent seven seasons on the Purdue staff and served as a defensive analyst starting in 2021. He was a graduate assistant for the Boilermakers from 2018-20. He worked with both the Purdue secondary and linebackers over that span.
“I just want to start by thanking God for this incredible opportunity,” McCollum said at the time of his hiring. “Without Him, none of this would be possible. I’m also incredibly grateful to Coach Whitten and Coach [Tyrone] Nix for believing in me and giving me this chance to be part of such a great organization. I’m excited to get to work, contribute to the team, and help us compete at the highest level. Go Texans!”
With McCollum’s assistance, Purdue advanced to the Big Ten Conference Championship Game and the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in 2022, won the Music City Bowl in 2021, and a Music City Bowl appearance in 2018.
McCollum has helped guide several defensive individuals to special success, including the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last year, a 2024 NFL Draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens (Sanoussi Kane), a 2023 NFL Draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers (Cory Trice), a 2020 NFL Draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals (Markus Bailey), plus two other NFL signees (Cam Allen with the Denver Broncos and Reese Taylor with the Kansas City Chiefs).
McCollum played collegiately as a safety and linebacker at UAB (2013-14), Western Kentucky (2015-16) and Purdue (2017). In his lone season with the Boilermakers, he started all 13 games and helped lead Purdue to a win over Arizona at the 2017 Foster Farms Bowl He was on a pair of Conference USA championship teams (2015-16) with the Hilltoppers and started for the 2015 Miami Beach Bowl and 2016 Boca Raton Bowl championship teams. He was a two-time All-C-USA honoree at WKU. After college, he played in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and was in mini camps with the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos.
McCollum, whose first name is Travis, is a Birmingham, Alabama, native. He graduated from WKU with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis on business in 2016 and from Purdue with a master's degree in technology leadership and innovation in 2018.
