Texas State Athletics

After installing a new defense last season, John Thompson is in his second season as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Texas State. Last season, Thompson’s defense produced a Fourth-Team All-American and Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in David Mayo. Mayo also was one of five Bobcat defensive players to earn All-Sun Belt Conference honors with David Mims, Craig Mager and Michael Odiari joining him on First-Team. In addition, College Sports Madness named Germod Williams a Third-Team selection.
 
The Bobcats also ranked second among SBC defenses with 13 interceptions and fourth in sacks. The Bobcats were also among the top six defenses in rushing and scoring defense.
 
Thompson came to Texas State after serving two seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Arkansas State, where his defense ranked second in forced turnovers with 21 after collecting 12 fumbles and 9 interceptions. The Red Wolves also ranked third in scoring and passing defense during 2013. He also coached four All-SBC players, including First-Team selections Ryan Carrethers and Qushaun Lee at defensive end and linebacker, respectively.
 
In 2012, Arkansas State ranked first among Sun Belt Conference teams in scoring defense and third in total defense. Once again, the Red Wolves had four All-Sun Belt Conference selections, including First-Team choices Nathan Herrold at linebacker and Carrethers on the defensive line.
 
Arkansas State shut out two opponents for the first time since 1987 during the 2012 season, and 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 nationally.
 
In addition to coaching the defense, Thompson served as an interim head coach for Arkansas State during two GoDaddy.com Bowl appearances when the Red Wolves won a 17-13 decision over No. 25 Kent State in 2013 and a 23-20 win against Ball State in 2014. The victory over Kent State marked the first time Arkansas State won a bowl game since 1960 and its first victory over a Top 25-ranked team since joining the FBS in 1992.
 
He has worked 27 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 and South Carolina, along with Memphis, Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State. He also was a linebackers coach at Alabama for one season.
 
As a defensive coordinator, Thompson has seen more than 40 of his defensive players drafted by or sign with NFL teams. He also coached six All-Americans, 48 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 2002 Cotton Bowl.
 
Thompson’s first position as a defensive coordinator came at Northwestern State, where he also was the linebackers and secondary coach from 1983-86, and again from 1988-89 after spending the 1987 season as linebackers coach at Alabama under Bill Curry.
 
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, Thompson transformed the Tigers from the sixth-rated defense in Conference USA into the nation’s 23rd-ranked defense and 11th-ranked scoring defense. The Tigers held SEC teams Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee to a combined total of 33 points.
 
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 Central Arkansas. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in physical education in 1978 and went on to serve as an assistant coach at Conway, Forrest City, and Arkadelphia High Schools in Arkansas before moving to the collegiate 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. Thompson and his wife, Charleen, have two sons, Cabe and Hays.