John Thompson Football Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Alma Mater: Central Arkansas (1978) Courtesy: University of Mississippi Release: 01/15/2007 Veteran defensive coordinator John Thompson joined head coach Ed Orgeron’s Rebel coaching staff in that same capacity on January 15, 2007. Orgeron was his own defensive coordinator during his first two years as head coach at Ole Miss. Thompson, 51, joined Ole Miss from his alma mater, the University of Central Arkansas, where he served as the athletics director since May 2006. Thompson was hired last year to lead the UCA athletic program in its first year as an NCAA Division I program. UCA moved to Division I and joined the Southland Conference on July 1, 2006. Prior to accepting the athletics director position, Thompson had enjoyed a 29-year coaching career. Recognized as a top defensive mind, Thompson brings to Ole Miss experience from five Southeastern Conference schools * Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and South Carolina. He also served two years (2003-04) as head coach at East Carolina University. While he was with the Pirates, he coached three first-team All-Conference USA players and had seven players chosen to the Freshman All-Conference team. As a defensive coordinator, Thompson's units led their respective conferences in total defense three different times. Over 40 of his defensive players were drafted or signed with National Football League teams, 40 earned all-conference honors, five were named All-America, and one -- former Northwestern State linebacker Gary Reasons -- has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Thompson served as the defensive coordinator at Florida, Arkansas, LSU, Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State, and co-defensive coordinator at South Carolina. A native of Forrest City, Ark., Thompson began his coaching career in the high school ranks in 1977 while pursuing his bachelor's degree at UCA. He graduated from UCA in 1978 and continued to coach high school football until moving on to the college ranks at the University of Arkansas as a graduate assistant for then-head coach Lou Holtz in 1982. Thompson was the defensive coordinator at Northwestern State from 1983-86, where Orgeron was one of his pupils. He went to Alabama to coach the linebackers for Bill Curry in 1987 before returning to Northwestern State for the 1988 and '89 seasons. In 1990, he became defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech and in his two seasons there his defense ranked No. 8 nationally in rushing defense, No. 19 in scoring defense and No. 23 in total defense. He was the mastermind behind the dominant Southern Mississippi defense of the mid-1990s as he took over as defensive coordinator for the Golden Eagles in 1992 and was given the additional title of assistant head coach in 1993. He remained with that program until 1998. Along the way, Southern Miss won or shared two Conference USA titles, ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense twice and made two bowl appearances. He had comparable accomplishments in 1999 as defensive coordinator at Memphis as his Tiger defense ranked 11th nationally in scoring defense and 20th in total defense. In December 1999, Thompson made his move to the SEC when he was named Nick Saban's first defensive coordinator at LSU. Afforded with the opportunity to move back to his home state, Thompson was co-defensive coordinator at Arkansas in 2000, as the Razorbacks were second in the nation in pass defense and led the SEC in both pass defense and total defense. As the sole defensive coordinator in 2001, Thompson helped lead Arkansas to the 2002 Cotton Bowl. Thompson was appointed defensive coordinator at Florida in 2002 and the Gators advanced to the Outback Bowl against Michigan. Allowing just 162.4 passing yards per game, his Florida pass defense ranked seventh in the nation and was the best by a Gator team since 1989. Thompson's playing career includes time as a prep quarterback at Forrest City High School and two seasons as a defensive back at Central Arkansas. He hosts an annual charity golf event in Forrest City each year and was inducted into the Forrest City High Hall of Fame in 2006. Thompson and his wife, Charleen, have two sons, Cabe and Hays.
I sure hope this guy is not in serious consideration. He had his shot at LSU already and he gave up. He is too much a journeyman for my liking. His coaching star has seem to fallen. I want someone on the upswing not on the downward spiral.
I like this guy, or more correctly I like his defensive philosophy and if you like a 'No bend, No break' style of defense you'll like it too. I don't know what downward spiral or on the upswing means but I'd take him just for a year or two if only to change the defensive style at LSU. I put the bend but don't break defense in the same class as the prevent defense. They don't work, especially in the SEC and more especially against teams like Florida. Here are some comments about him I found on the internet. It's dated but still relevant. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT… FLORIDA'S DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOHN THOMPSON "If they get to know him, they're going to love him. They're going to love his system and they're going to love him. His system very, very rarely has flaws in it. And he's just a wonderful coach. They got a winner." -Arkansas nose tackle Jermaine Brooks "Although all coaches say their defenses are aggressive, with Thompson, it's not mere lip service." (February 21, 2002) "He has delivered on a reputation as an unconventional leader, a guy who will try anything at virtually any time to stop an offense." (August 22, 2002) "Defensive coordinator John Thompson's crew was brilliant all night, limiting the potent Dawgs to just 294 total yards and a hard-to-fathom 0-for-13 in third-down conversions. Thompson's constantly changing looks managed to keep the Dawgs and their two-headed quarterback deal of David Greene and D.J. Shockley off-stride for 60 minutes." (November 3, 2002) -Marty Cohen, Gator Bait "You know his defense causes problems when you're watching the offensive line and their heads are on a swivel trying to figure out which man they're going to block. It's a really confusing defense, and it's fun to play." (December 20, 2000) -Curt Davis, Former Arkansas nose guard
Georgia State is in the process of creating a football team. Their first game isn't until 2010. They had their first football tryouts on Oct. 15, 2008. Coach Curry: “Somebody in this group will be able to tell his grandchildren, I was there for the first tryout, and then I played in the first game in 2010." Curry said that all of the participants would be invited back for another session, likely next spring, so that the coaching staff could judge their progress. “We’ll bring them back in a few months and see how much they’ve improved.” “I predict that someone from this group will eventually earn a scholarship,” said Curry. Football Walk-on Tryouts Release: 10/13/2008 http://www.georgiastatesports.com/V...3624&SPID=5671&DB_OEM_ID=12700&ATCLID=1592541 Georgia State's First Football Tryouts Release: 10/15/2008 http://www.georgiastatesports.com/V...3624&SPID=5671&DB_OEM_ID=12700&ATCLID=1604515
What did he do to LSU? He left because he found out that Nick intended to be his own DC in all but name. And he left quickly, it didn't hurt LSU, it just made fool out of Nick.
BS Red, you don't take a job and then quit 2 weeks later. He should have found out the details before he signed on the line. No way I want this guy as DC.
Dandy Don's opinion from his Dec 9th post: Monday was a quiet day for any new names as possible hires for the defensive coordinator position, if the position becomes available. Tyrone Nix's (Ole Miss) name is being mentioned as is John Thompson's, the defensive coordinator at Georgia State. Vic Koenning's (Clemson) name had been mentioned as a possible replacement for Peveto and Mallory but he got tired of waiting and accepted the defensive coordinator job at Kansas State. John Chavas, formerly of Tennessee, appears to be the front runner for the job. http://www.dandydon.com/
Dec 17 -- Sources tell FootballScoop that LSU is interested in veteran SEC coach John Thompson. Thompson was Nick Saban’s first defensive coordinator at LSU, but later accepted the defensive coordinator job at Arkansas (his home state). Thompson currently serves as the defensive coordinator at Georgia State. http://www.footballscoop.com/?cat=24
