Alabama’s Thompson isn’t just about recruiting

By Robert Rousseau  |   Tuesday, June 17, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Alabama Crimson Tide
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Alabama outside linebackers coach Lance Thompson is the one credited with luring prospects D.J. Fluker, A.J. McCarron and Trent Richardson to commit to the Crimson Tide for the 2009 season. That should not serve as a surprise, of course, because in 2008 Thompson was the compelling force behind 10 of the Tide’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class signings, including wide receiver Julio Jones. In fact, he did such a good job that Rivals named him recruiter of the year.

So that would seem to beg the question: Who exactly is Lance Thompson?

Thompson was a four-year letterman at The Citadel, which means he knows a little something about disciple. His coaching career started at Georgia Tech as a graduate assistant from 1988- 89. Further, he was a volunteer assistant coach for the club from 1990-91; he was in charge of leading the defensive ends, including former All-American and NFL All-Pro Marco Coleman.

Interestingly, in 1992 Thompson left his on-field duties to serve as Tech’s director of football operations for two years. Still, the coaching bug was in Thompson, prompting him to return to the team as its tight ends coach in 1995. From there he took on the defensive ends (1996-97) and defensive line (1998, 2001). He also served as their recruiting coordinator from 1995-98 and in 2001.
From 1999-2000, Thompson served as defensive line coach for Alabama, a club that he would eventually come back to in the present. From 2002-03, he served as the assistant head coach in charge of recruiting and the tight ends coach for the LSU Tigers, acting as one of the catalysts toward their national championship run in 2003 and helping defensive tackle Chad Lavalais to secure 22 sacks and All-SEC membership.

Finally, Thompson got the chance to coordinate a defense at the University of Central Florida from 2004-06, before finally signing back up with the Tide and head coach Nick Saban as the program's outside linebackers coach in 2007.

Even with all of that, however, Thompson’s recruiting, as was mentioned, would seem to take center stage with him. Even Saban, normally a man somewhat scant on compliments, had to note that after the job Thompson did in 2008.

"I think Lance did a great job of setting the table and developing a plan for how we would have the best chance to be successful in that (recruiting) area, and I think we all worked hard to try and make it happen. It worked out pretty well for us."

With the way Thompson has started out recruiting in 2009, expect 2008 to be only the tip of the iceberg for him.
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About Robert Rousseau

Robert Rousseau is a sports writer that has been published in a variety of print and online venues. He’s been writing for RealFootball365.com for almost three years now. When Rousseau isn’t writing about college football he tends to be penning mixed martial arts pieces for MMAFighting.com or ...
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