After spending the final two years of his Notre Dame playing career under then-defensive coordinator Clark Lea, Jimmy Thompson has continued growing his coaching career under his former Fighting Irish defensive play-caller.
On Lea's Vanderbilt staff since 2021, shortly after Lea was hired at his alma mater, Thompson has been elevated the role of Stars coach for the 2024 season.
The position is a key one in Clark's defensive scheme, with the role typically filled by a versatile athlete who can rush from the edge or drop into coverage as an outside linebacker.
Thompson's increased role sees him assisting the efforts of linebackers coach and running game coordinator Nick Lezynski, also a former Notre Dame player who has emerged as one of the top young defensive coaches in all of college football.
Thompson played four seasons at Notre Dame and then interned at his alma mater before he briefly served as an assistant coach for a season of high school football.
Thompson got his start at the collegiate level with LSU in 2020, when he worked with the Tigers's secondary.
Lea had shown promise in his first head coaching stint when he helped Vanderbilt to five wins in 2022, up from the program's two-win season in Lea's first as head coach.
But the Commodores dipped back to just two wins in 2023 and open their 2024 season Aug. 31 against a resurgent Virginia Tech program. They also have SEC contests against Alabama. Auburn, LSU, Missouri, Tennessee and league newcomer Texas.