Texas adds former FAU WR coach Joey Thomas as defensive analyst
The most recent addition to the staff for second-year head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Texas football program came in the form of a pretty surprising hire on the afternoon of Feb. 21. According to a report from Brandon Huffman of 247Sports on Twitter on Feb. 21, Texas is adding the former Florida Atlantic Owls wide receivers coach and Montana State Bobcats alumni Joey Thomas to the staff as a defensive analyst.
This looks to be an interesting addition for Sark and the Longhorns staff as there are some relevant connections that Thomas has to the defensive staff in Austin. Thomas can help the Longhorns expand their recruiting pipeline in the Pacific Northwest as he is a native of Seattle, WA.
There is also a connection for Thomas to current Texas co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Pete Kwiatkowski. During his time playing in college for Montana State, Thomas’ defensive coordinator was Kwiatkowski.
Texas football reportedly adds former FAU WR coach Joey Thomas as a defensive analyst
Former FAU WR coach Joey Thomas has joined the Texas staff as a defensive analyst. Reunites with his college DC Pete Kwiatkowski and has strong ties to Pacific Northwest where he was a HS HC, plus ties to Northern California, JCs and Florida @MikeRoach247
— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) February 21, 2022
It now looks like Thomas will be helping the defensive backs for the Longhorns, which will primarily serve under the likes of cornerbacks coach Terry Joseph and safeties coach Blake Gideon. Thomas is a former defensive back himself that has NFL playing and college coaching experience that he brings to the table for the Longhorns staff.
Thomas played for the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, and Miami Dolphins over the course of his five-year NFL career that spanned from 2004-2008. He was originally picked up as a third-round pick of the Packers in the 2004 NFL Draft.
The first real job that Thomas landed coaching at any level of the college ranks came with Fort Scott Junior College. A few of his roles at Fort Scott JC came as the secondary coach, passing game coordinator, and special teams coordinator, among a couple of others.
And then, the first FBS role that Thomas landed came with Florida Atlantic under head coach Willie Taggart in 2020. He would then be promoted to the role of wide receivers coach last year. FAU wide receivers coach is the last role he held prior to getting hired as a defensive analyst at Texas.
Thomas is the biggest addition to this coaching staff for the Longhorns since it was announced that former longtime TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson was hired as a special assistant to the head coach.
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Texas could continue to build out the staff of analysts after hiring Thomas this offseason. One name the Longhorns were recently connected to is the former Duke Blue Devils longtime head coach David Cutcliffe, who apparently had conversations with Texas about the possibility of joining this staff as an offensive analyst.