The Tar Heels are putting the finishing touches on Bill Belichick’s first staff and the latest addition is one that brings a lot of experience to the defensive side of the ball.
As first reported by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, the Tar Heels are pursuing Maryland defensive assistant Lance Thompson to be a part of their staff. According to Inside Carolina, Thompson interviewed last week and it is not yet known what exactly his position with the team will be.
Thompson began his career back in 1988 with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and spent the nine years there coaching tight ends, defensive ends and, finally, defensive line before he would leave for Alabama. He was part of the national title team in 1990, the first of three titles that he would win. He returned to Georgia Tech in 2001 as the team’s recruiting coordinator.
Thompson had three different stints at Alabama, all of which were successful. He spent his first tenure, 1999-00, as the team’s defensive line coach under Mike DuBose. He would return to coach under Nick Saban from 2007-08 and then again in 2012-14 as the linebackers coach, where he took home the third national title of his coaching career.
Thompson would win his second national title as part of the LSU coaching staff from 2002-03 where he served as the defensive line coach and then the tight ends coach while also holding the title of associate head coach.
Thompson’s other stops include UCF (defensive coordinator, 2004-06), Tennessee (linebacker then defensive line coach, 2009-11), Auburn (linebacker, 2015), South Carolina (defensive line and associate head coach, 2016-18), Florida Atlantic (defensive line and recruiting coordinator then linebacker coach, 2019 and 2021).
Thompson has spent the last three years with the Maryland Terrapins as the team’s inside linebackers coach.
At one time, he was regarded as one of the top recruiters in the country, earning recruiter of the year in 2008 (ESPN) and 2014 (Rivals).
Thompson is credited with coaching and/or recruiting several players who have been selected near the top of the NFL Draft, including Julio Jones, Mark Barron, Trent Richardson, D.J. Fluker, Chance Warmack, Marco Coleman, Cornelius Griffin, Marquise Hill, Laron Landry, Tyson Jackson, Coutney Upshaw and Coleman Rudolph.
This is another outstanding hire for the team that provides versatility as a coach. However he is involved, this is a guy that should be able to help get and develop the talent for this team.
Podcast
Comments