Kenwick Thompson returned to the San Jose State University football coaching staff in January 2013 as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Thompson spent his first six seasons coaching in the Football Bowl Subdivision (2001-06) at San Jose State in a variety of capacities.
During the Spartans[apos] 2006 New Mexico Bowl winning season, he coached the defensive tackles. He also served as the linebackers coach for four seasons (2001-2004), a recruiting coordinator (2002-04), and strength and conditioning coach for football (2005).
In between San Jose State tenures, Thompson spent five seasons at the University of California (2007-2012) coaching linebackers and coordinating recruiting. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2012. At Cal, the Golden Bears were the top team in the Pac-12 Conference in total defense and pass defense in 2010 and 2011. His linebackers earned three first-team All-Pacific-12 Conference honors and second-team All-American Mychal Kendricks was the 2011 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Thompson first came to San Jose State in 2001 after coaching seven seasons at Texas Southern University. He coached running backs and defensive linemen and was the defensive coordinator his last five seasons (1996-2000) with the Tigers, he was the program[apos]s assistant head coach. As a player, he was an all-conference selection, the defensive [quote]Player of the Year[quote] in his conference and team captain of the 1990 Harding University team.
The 1992 Harding graduate began his coaching career in 1990 when he coached in the Italian-American Professional Football League. The following season, he was named a graduate assistant at his alma mater.He and his wife, Monica, have two sons, Jaxson and Jacob.
KENWICK THOMPSON facts
Born: July 23, 1969 in Houston, Texas
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2012 University of California associate head coach/linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator
2007-11 University of California linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator
2006 San Jose State University defensive tackles coach
2005 San Jose State University football strength and conditioning coach
2004 San Jose State University defensive line coach/co-recruiting coordinator
2002-03 San Jose State University linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator
2001 San Jose State University linebackers coach
1996-2000 Texas Southern University assistant head coach/defensive coordinator
1995 Texas Southern University defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator
1994 Texas Southern University running backs coach
1991-1992 Harding University graduate assistant
1990 Italian-American Football Association assistant coach