San Marcos, Texas - Texas State head football coach Dennis Franchione announced Monday afternoon that veteran defensive coach John Thompson has joined his staff as a defensive coordinator. Thompson, who has over 30 years of coaching experience, comes to Texas State after serving the last two seasons as a defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Arkansas State.
 
"I have known John a lot of years and always had a great deal of respect for him and his defense," said Franchione. "His defense causes you problems on offense. Everywhere I have been, he caused us problems offensively. He did it last year and he did it at Arkansas. Not very often do you have a chance to hire someone who has a defensive coordinator at four different SEC schools (Arkansas, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Florida). He is a coach with great knowledge, great experience and a great background in coaching.  We feel very fortunate to have him on our staff."
 
Franchione also announced that cornerbacks coach Jason Washington would take on expanded duties as a secondary coach this spring.
 
"John will be a walk-around coordinator this spring at least," said Franchione. "We will merge our defensive styles together from what we have been doing with his defensive style. I have asked him to adopt as much of our vocabulary as possible so it will shorten the learning curve for our players. He will be able to evaluate his players better and watch his coaches coach so that we are on the same page."
 
Thompson also served as Arkansas State's interim head coach at the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl when he led the Red Wolves to a 17-13 victory over then No. 25 Kent State. The victory was ASU's first bowl victory since 1960 and also marked its first win over a Top 25 team since in joined the FBS in 1992.
 
As the defensive coordinator in 2013, his defense ranked third among Sun Belt Conference teams in scoring defense and passing defense. It also was second in forced turnovers with 21 after collecting 12 fumbles and 9 interceptions and produced four All- Conference performers, including First-Team selections Ryan Carrethers at defensive end and Qushaun Lee at linebacker.
 
In 2012, Arkansas State's defense ranked first among Sun Belt Conference teams in scoring defense and third in total defense. The Red Wolves had four All-Sun Belt Conference selections, including first-team choices Nathan Herrold at linebacker and Carrethers on the defensive line.
 
The Red Wolves shut out two opponents during the 2012 season, and that marked the first time since 1987 that Arkansas State accomplished the feat. Under Thompson's direction, Arkansas State's defense also ranked third in the Sun Belt in turnovers gained after picking up 10 fumble recoveries and 13 interceptions.  Arkansas State had eight players post an interception to tie for the 15th most in the nation.
 
Thompson has worked 26 seasons as a coordinator and was the head coach at East Carolina for two years. Recognized as a top defensive mind, Thompson has worked as defensive coordinator or co-coordinator at Southeastern Conference schools Mississippi, Florida, Arkansas, South Carolina and LSU, as well as at Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State.
 
As a defensive coordinator, Thompson has seen more than 40 of his defensive players drafted by or sign with NFL teams. He also coached five All-Americans, 44 players who earned All-Conference honors and one, former Northwestern State linebacker Gary Reasons, has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
                                                                                                                                   
Thompson went to Arkansas State after serving as Georgia State's assistant head coach for scheduling and strategic planning and defensive coordinator.  Thompson also coached inside linebackers at Georgia State, where he spent the previous four seasons.
 
Thompson went to Georgia State in July 2008 after spending the 2007 season as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ole Miss. That followed a one-year stint as athletics director at his alma mater, Central Arkansas, which he guided to NCAA Division I level in 2006. He served as co-defensive coordinator at South Carolina in 2005.
 
As the head coach at East Carolina in 2003-04, he coached three First-Team All-Conference USA players and seven C-USA All-Freshman selections.
 
Thompson was the defensive coordinator at Florida in 2002, when the Gators' pass defense ranked seventh nationally after allowing just 162.4 yards per game. He also spent two years at Arkansas, where he was a co-defensive coordinator in 2000 and then defensive coordinator in 2001. In 2000, the Razorbacks were second in the nation in pass defense while leading the SEC in pass defense and total defense. The following year, Thompson helped lead Arkansas to the Cotton Bowl.
 
Thompson's first position as a defensive coordinator came at Northwestern State, where he served from 1983-86, and again from 1988-89 after spending the 1987 season as linebackers coach at Alabama.
 
In 1990, he became the defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech before moving to Southern Miss as defensive coordinator in 1992 and assistant head coach in 1993. In Thompson's seven seasons at Southern Miss (1992-98), the Golden Eagles won or shared two Conference USA titles, twice ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and made two bowl appearances.
 
In one season at Memphis in 1999, his Tiger defense ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense and 23rd in total defense.
 
A native of Forrest City, Ark., Thompson began as a high school coach in 1977 while pursuing his bachelor's degree at UCA. He continued to coach prep football until moving to the college ranks in 1982 as a graduate assistant at Arkansas, where he worked under Lou Holtz.
 
A high school quarterback, Thompson was inducted into the Forrest City High School Hall of Fame in 2006. His playing career also includes two seasons as a defensive back at Central Arkansas. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from UCA in 1978.
 
Thompson and his wife, Charleen, have two sons, Cabe and Hays.