Thompson's task: Reshape Texas State's defense on the fly
Steve Habel
You've got to put on your running shoes and move with some conviction these days to keep up with new Texas State defensive coordinator John Thompson, but that's understandable considering his task at hand and the time the veteran coach has had to get acclimated.
Thompson has, to paraphrase the Jerry Reed song, a long way to go and a short time to get there.
Hired on March 17 — the same day Texas State players and coaches returned from spring break — Thompson spent last week holed up in his new office, learning his new players, the terminology used by former coordinator Craig Naivar, and determining which buttons to push and improvements that could be made.
The Bobcats began spring practice the day after he got hired, and Thompson wasted little time making his mark.
"There is a lot of good things about what we have going here, and some things that we are gonna change," Thompson said. "I love these guys already, but they already know that they need to prove themselves to me just like they did before to coach Naivar and the rest of the staff."
Thompson has been a walk-around coordinator this spring, working with the other defensive coaches to merge his scheme elements with the existing defensive styles in order to shorten the learning curve for players.
Thompson, 58, knows defense, a 30-year coaching veteran, including the past two seasons at Arkansas State. Twenty-six of those seasons were as a coordinator at Mississippi, Florida, Arkansas, South Carolina, LSU, Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State.
He also has experience as a head coach — at East Carolina in 2003 and 2004, and also as Arkansas State's interim coach for the GoDaddy Bowl victory after Bryan Harsin had been hired by Boise State.
"John brings a Southeastern Conference mentality to his defenses," head coach Dennis Franchione said. "Everywhere I have coached against him, he's caused us problems. It's good to have him on our side for a change."
Thompson's defenses at Arkansas State were stout. Last year, the Red Wolves ranked third in the Sun Belt in scoring and passing defense, second in forced turnovers and produced four all-conference performers, including two first-teamers. In 2012, the defense led the league in scoring defense, was third in total defense and posted two shutouts.
Texas State senior linebacker Michael Orakpo said Thompson is putting the players in positions where they naturally fit and in spots where they can succeed.
The Bobcats ranked 58th nationally in total defense last season, and allowed 27.3 points and 396.78 yards per game, still an improvement from 2012, when Texas State allowed 33.5 points and 484.8 yards; only five teams in the country allowed more yards that year.
"The biggest difference from our defense last season is that coach Thompson asks his linebackers to take more control, whereas before that was the safeties' job," said linebacker Michael Orakpo. "Coach Thompson wants to be the dictator on each play. He wants to be the one calling the shots by making the offense adjust to his defense alignment rather than us lining up according to the offense."