Andy Thompson finished his first season as Stanford’s assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator, and inside linebackers coach in 2025.
As the defensive signal caller, Thompson helped lead Stanford to one of its best seasons in recent years on the defensive side of the ball. 2025 marked the first time Stanford's defense held teams to fewer than 30 points per game since 2018, and the unit's total yards allowed per game mark of 408.2 was the lowest since 2017.
Stanford was particularly stingy against the run, ranking 28th in the country in rush defense (119.3 yards per game), the team's best rush defense since 2014. The Cardinal also proved to be one of the toughest in the red zone, allowing teams to score touchdowns on just 50% of red zone trips, tied for second in the ACC and ranking 14th nationally.
Four of Stanford's turnovers were returned for touchdowns, the team's most defensive scores since 2016. Three of those defensive touchdowns were on fumble returns, the most by a Stanford defense in at least the last 20 years.
Inside linebacker Matt Rose thrived under Thompson's tutelage, becoming the first Cardinal on the defensive side of the ball earn Second Team All-ACC honors. He finished second in the conference in tackles with 106, the most by a Cardinal since Blake Martinez in 2015. Rose was also the only player in the country with a 14-tackle, 1-sack, and 1-fumble recovery game, doing so in Stanford's Big Game win. Rose was also named First Team All-ACC by PFF.
Two other Cardinal earned honorable mention All-ACC honors under Thompson: defensive lineman Clay Patterson and safety Jay Green.
Thompson arrives on The Farm after spending the two previous seasons as the head coach at Sacramento State, where he was promoted. He spent six seasons on staff with the Hornets, including four as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Postseason appearances became a regular occurrence for Sacramento State with Thompson on staff. The Hornets made the NCAA FCS playoffs five times in six seasons, including the school’s first three Big Sky championships. Sacramento State won five playoff games in five years from 2019-2023.
In his first season as head coach, Thompson led Sacramento State back to the FCS playoffs and picked up the program’s first DI-postseason road victory. The Hornets won eight games, the second most under a first-year head coach in Sacramento State history. Thompson coached 11 players who earned All-Big Sky honors, with four first-team selections.
In his final season as defensive coordinator, Thompson helped direct the Hornets to the 2022 FCS Quarterfinals, the deepest playoff run in school history. He coached the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, Marte Mapu, becoming just the second Hornet to win the award. Mapu was also named a First Team All-America selection by the Associated Press. Sacramento State allowed just 21.8 points per game in an undefeated regular season.
The 2021 Sacramento State defense was one of the best in school history, allowing just 19.1 points per game and an impressive 15.3 points per game in Big Sky play. Six Hornet defenders landed on the All-Conference team at the end of the season.
Thompson took over the Hornets' defense in 2019 and immediately helped turn the unit around. Sacramento State made the FCS playoffs for the first time in school history thanks in part to a defense that allowed 132 fewer yards per game than the season before and the second-most sacks in Hornets history (44). Two areas the team excelled in were defensive pass efficiency and red zone defense, both of which led the Big Sky.
Defensive end George Obinna earned FCS All-America honors from multiple outlets following a record-breaking season in which he set the school record for single-season (14) and career sacks (33.5). Current NFL and All-Pro cornerback Daron Bland was one of eight defensive players on that year’s team to earn postseason Big Sky honors.
Prior to joining the staff at Sacramento State, Thompson spent over a decade at Northern Arizona, culminating in 10 years as the defensive coordinator. The first two seasons were spent working with running backs before shifting to the defensive side of the ball as the linebackers coach for two seasons. From 2009-2018, he was the Lumberjacks' defensive coordinator.
More than 60 student-athletes earned all-conference honors under Thompson at Northern Arizona, including Austin Haquet, who became NAU’s first NFF Scholar-Athlete and William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist in 2018.
Thompson began his coaching career at Eastern Oregon in 2004, working with the linebackers and special teams unit. He oversaw the growth of linebacker Nick Hannah, who signed a free-agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts and eventually played in both the CFL and UFL.
A native of Walla Walla, Wash., Thompson was part of five Big Sky championships with the Montana Grizzlies as a linebacker, including the 2001 Grizzlies' national championship team. He played 44 games over five seasons, piling up 103 total tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss.
Andy and his wife, Mikal, have three sons: Mac, Austin, and Teague.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2023-24 – Sacramento State (Head Coach)
2019-22 – Sacramento State (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2009-18 – Northern Arizona (Defensive Coordinator)
2007-08 – Northern Arizona (Linebackers)
2005-06 – Northern Arizona (Running Backs)
2004 – Eastern Oregon (Linebackers/Special Teams)