Ricky Thomas begins his first season as the program’s defensive backs coach in 2017.
Thomas comes to SMSU after spending the past four seasons as cornerbacks coach at the University of Nevada. He replaces Mike Aldrich, who resigned in January to become the head coach at Minot State University.
Thomas brings 15 years of NFL coaching experience and six years at the collegiate level to the Mustang program. During his four seasons at Nevada, the Wolfpack appeared in two bowl games.
Prior to Nevada, Thomas coached defensive ends at Georgia State in 2012. Before Georgia State, he spent 10 seasons (2002-2011) with the Indianapolis Colts, including eight as the tight ends coach. He previously spent five seasons (1997-2001) with Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay, coaching the Buccaneers’ tight ends for three seasons and working with the running backs and special teams for two years. Thomas coached in two Super Bowls during his NFL coaching tenure, winning a championship with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI.
Thomas's coaching career began in 1988 at Marion Military Institute, where he coached defensive backs. From 1989-92, he worked at the University of Alabama as an academic advisor for the football and men’s basketball programs. Thomas taught and coached at McCallie High School in Tennessee from 1992-96.
He served as a strength and conditioning assistant at the University of Kentucky in 1996, and then was hired to coach defensive backs at Gardner Webb in 1997 before moving to the NFL later that year.
Thomas was a four-year starter (1983-86) at strong safety at the University of Alabama, while earning his bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1987. In 1995, he earned his master's degree in exercise science from Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Ricky and his wife, Kimberly, have two children.
