The Thompson File
Alma Mater, Year	Bellhaven (Miss.), 2006
Record at Arkansas Tech (Years)	7-5 (1 season)
Overall Record (Years)	Same

Roy Thompson is in his second season as head football coach at Arkansas Tech after being announced as the program's 18th head coach all-time on December 10, 2024.

In his first year at Tech in 2025, Thompson led the Wonder Boys to their first winning season since 2017, going 7-4 in the regular season. That breakout year also saw the Wonder Boys make postseason play for the first time since 2017 as they received an invitation to play in the Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot against West Texas A&M.

Shortly after being named as the new head coach at Arkansas Tech, Thompson was lauded by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as the 2024 Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year for his efforts that season while at Great American Conference rival, Ouachita Baptist.

Overall, Thompson spent 12 years overall on staff at Ouachita across two stints. During his most recent stint covering the 2016-2024 seasons, Thompson served as the program's defensive coordinator and built the Tigers’ defensive unit into one of the top units not only in the GAC, but in all of DII.

Beginning in 2018, Ouachita had three seasons in which its points allowed per game were under 20.0, ranking it in the top-10 nationally in DII. In three other seasons, the highest points allowed in a season was 20.7 points per game. Over that same stretch, Thompson’s defensive unit allowed under 320.0 yards per game four times, ranking in the top-35 nationally.

In his final year at Ouachita in 2024, Thompson’s defensive unit is ranked 5^th in DII in scoring defense (12.0 ppg) and 21^st overall in total defense (276.3 ypg). On October 19 that year, Thompson and his defense shined brightly under the lights of primetime in one of the most anticipated matchups of the season as Ouachita hosted then top-ranked and defending national champion Harding.

Heading into that game, Harding had won 25 consecutive games and had an offensive attack that was averaging 554 yards of total offense and 61 points per game. By the final horn, Thompson’s defensive unit stoned Harding to the tune of just 288 yards of total offense and 13 points as the Tigers beat Harding.
 
Thompson’s time at Ouachita also yielded a wealth of championship hardware as well as NCAA postseason experience.
 
Out of the eight seasons played with Thompson on staff, Ouachita won the GAC championship five times and reached the NCAA playoffs each of those seasons as well, with the most recent coming this season. Of those five conference titles, three saw the Tigers go unbeaten in the regular season.
 
Prior to his time at Ouachita, Thompson spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons as the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Mendocino College in Ukiah, Calif. Thompson’s defensive unit finished the 2015 season ranked No. 4 in total defense in the state of California as well as the No. 1 defense in the Pac-7 Conference and No. 15 nationally in total defense.
 
A 2006 graduate of Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss., Thompson began his collegiate coaching career the following fall as the defensive line coach at Highland Community College before returning to his alma mater as the defensive line/linebackers coach for the 2008-2009 seasons. Thompson’s next stop brought him to Ouachita for his first stint as he was the defensive line and linebackers coach from 2009-2012.
 
Thompson and his wife, Julia, have three daughters - Jadyn, London and Cameron - and one son, Trey.
 

Roy Thompson Collegiate Coaching Career
Year	School	Position	Note(s)
2025	Arkansas Tech	Head Coach	* - 7-5 overall record and 7-4 record in GAC * - Earned invitation to play in Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot * - Coached one all-region player * - Coached 19 All-GAC players (two first-team selections) * - Coached GAC Freshman of the Year
2024	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator	* - AFCA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year * - 10-2 overall record and 10-1 record in GAC * - Advanced to NCAA Division II Playoffs
2023	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator	* - 9-2 overall record and 9-2 record in GAC
2022	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator	* - 11-1 overall record and 11-0 record in GAC * - GAC Regular Season Champions * - Advanced to NCAA Division II Playoffs
2021	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator	* - 9-2 overall record and 9-2 record in GAC
2020	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator	* - Season not played due to COVID-19
2019	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator	* - 11-1 overall record and 11-0 record in GAC * - GAC Regular Season Champions * - Advanced to NCAA Division II Playoffs
2018	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator	* - 12-1 overall record and 11-0 record in GAC * - GAC Regular Season Champions * - Advanced to Second Round of NCAA Division II Playoffs
2017	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Co-Defensive Coordinator	* - 9-3 overall record and 9-2 record in GAC * - GAC Regular Season Champions * - Advanced to NCAA Division II Playoffs
2016	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Co-Defensive Coordinator	* - 7-4 overall record and 7-4 record in GAC
2015	Mendocino College	Assistant Head Coach - Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs
2014	Mendocino College	Assistant Head Coach - Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs
2013	Bellhaven University	Assistant Coach - Special Teams Coordinator / Defensive Line
2012	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Line / Linebackers	* - 6-4 overall record and 4-4 record in GAC
2011	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Line / Linebackers	* - 7-3 overall record and 6-1 record in GAC * - GAC Regular Season Champions
2010	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Line / Linebackers	* - 6-4 overall record and 4-4 record in GAC
2009	Ouachita Baptist	Assistant Coach - Defensive Line / Linebackers	* - 6-4 overall record and 4-4 record in GAC
2008	Bellhaven University	Assistant Coach - Defensive Line / Linebackers
2007	Bellhaven University	Assistant Coach - Defensive Line / Linebackers
2006	Highland Community College	Assistant Coach - Defensive Line