One of the finest quarterbacks in Azusa Pacific history, Rudy Carlton is in his second year as an assistant coach for his alma mater. Carlton works with the Cougar tight ends.
Though currently with the Cougars, Carlton is continuing his professional playing career as a quarterback in the Arena Football League II. In 2 seasons of play, he has thrown for over 2,600 yards, playing for the Texas Copperheads in 2008 and the Boise Burn in 2009.
Carlton completed a 4-year playing career with Azusa Pacific in 2006 with one of the best seasons ever put together by a Cougar QB. He threw for 2,605 yards by completing 197-of-344 (.573) passes and tossed 28 TD passes to lead the Cougars to a 6-5 record.
Carlton arrived at Azusa Pacific in 2002 and redshirted the season as a true-freshman. He narrowly missed winning the starting berth out of 2-a-days in 2003, yet earned a role in which he still would play in each game. However, 2 contests into the campaign Carlton hurt his shoulder and was lost for the rest of the season and all of 2004 as he recovered from 2 surgeries. He returned to action in 2005 and midway through the season he won the starting call. He threw for 1,242 yards and 8 TDs as a redshirt sophomore. He returned in 2006 to start the first 5 games before another injury ended yet another season.
Carlton, who had already graduated from Azusa Pacific with a bachelor's degree in psychology opted to move on. Yet late in the summer of 2007, he changed his mind and returned for one more season, and in so doing he fashioned a season that ranks among the 3 best ever by a Cougar quarterback.
On Azusa Pacific's all-time passing charts, Carlton is second in touchdown passes (38), third in passing yards (4,373) and third in completions (331).
Carlton came to Azusa Pacific out of Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton, Colo., where he is the school's No. 2 all-time passer with 2,323 yards and 12 TDs.
Along with his bachelor's degree, Carlton also earned a master's degree from Azusa Pacific in organizational leadership.
Carlton,25, is single and resides in Glendora, Calif.
