Associate head coach and linebackers coach Kenwick Thompson is a veteran of the Mountain West who came to UNLV in 2020 after serving the previous two seasons at Fresno State as the run game coordinator and linebackers coach under Jeff Tedford. That stint included winning the 2018 Mountain West Championship and Las Vegas Bowl behind the nation’s No. 3 scoring defense.
He previously spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator at East Carolina, joining the Pirate staff after two seasons at Vanderbilt, where he served as an associate head coach and linebackers coach in 2015. Thompson headed to the SEC school after spending the 2013 season as defensive coordinator at San Jose State. He previously coached under Tedford at California from 2007 to 2012, working as the assistant head coach and linebackers coach while playing a key role assisting the Golden Bears to four bowl appearances. During his first stint at San Jose State from 2001-06, Thompson served in a variety of coaching roles under head coaches Fitz Hill and Dick Tomey. His positions included linebackers coach (2001-03), defensive line coach (2004), defensive tackles coach (2006), recruiting coordinator (2001-2004) and head strength and conditioning coach (2005).
From 1994 to 2000, Thompson was on the coaching staff at Texas Southern, including the last five seasons as defensive coordinator. During the summer of 2000, he was a participant in the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Oakland Raiders. After an all-conference playing career, Thompson graduated from Harding (Ark.) University in 1992.
