Ben Thomas, a former standout offensive guard at North Alabama and already with a half-dozen years' coaching experience, is being elevated to the role of assistant offensive line coach working with offensive tackles at Southern Miss, sources told FootballScoop Wednesday.
A Florence, Alabama, native, Thomas logged several seasons on staff at Tulane under Willie Fritz; Thomas arrived in New Orleans as an offensive graduate assistant for the Green Wave and continued his career journey from there.
Thomas, who first started his coaching career in the prep ranks in his native Alabama and then served as a graduate assistant two seasons at his alma mater, spent the past season as an offensive analyst for the Golden Eagles.
Hall, who in a short time has spawned a considerable coaching tree around college football, has worked swiftly this offseason to revamp his Southern Miss staff after a disappointing 3-9 2023 campaign followed up his team's strong 2022 season that the Golden Eagles punctuated with a bowl victory.
Hall reunited with longtime friend and high-level offensive coordinator Chip Long late last month, hiring away Long from the University of Louisville where he had served as a senior analyst on Jeff Brohm's ACC runner-up Cardinals squad. Long's also been the offensive play-caller at Notre Dame, Memphis, Georgia Tech and Tulane.
USM also has added Michael Spurlock as the team's running backs coach, and Fred Wyatt is the new defensive line coach, the school announced.
Southern Miss is scheduled to open its 2024 season Aug. 31 at SEC resident Kentucky. The Golden Eagles then host Southeastern a week later in their 2024 home debut.