This is the DC at Temple and he's a Cartersville native with coaching experience at Kennesaw State. Perhaps he'll be coming back home to Georgia too:
Andrew Thacker was named Temple's linebacker coach in January 2017. He was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator / linebackers a year later.
In 2017, he inherited a unit that graduated all three starters from the previous year. He groomed three sophomores - Shaun Bradley, Chapelle Russell, and Sam Franklin - and one redshirt freshman - Isaiah Graham-Mobley - into a fast, ball-hungry group.
Following the 2017 regular season, Thacker was tabbed for the American Football Coaches Foundation annual 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute. The program is “aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession.”
Thacker came from Kennesaw State, were he served as a linebackers coach during the 2016 season. He helped guide the team to an 8-3 record, which was the program's best in their short history. That season, linebackers Anthony Gore and Izzy Sam led the Owls in tackles and were both second-team All-Big South selections. He was also a big part of a defense that ranked first in Big South in scoring (27.1) and rushing defense (130.3) and second in total defense (321.8).
Prior to Kennesaw State, Thacker was the safeties coach at UCF in 2015, returning to the Knights’ program after previously serving as a defensive graduate assistant from 2008-09. While coaching the safeties, Thacker was also responsible for recruiting the Northern Florida area.
Thacker returned to the Knights following one season as a defensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2014, he helped Atlanta rank 12th in the NFL in interceptions and assisted LB Paul Worrilow to pick up 142 tackles, which ranked fifth in the league that year. In 2013, Thacker was the safeties coach at the University of Southern Mississippi. During that season, three of his safeties were top five on the team in tackles, including DeBarriaus Miller who led the team with 92 tackles.
He previously served as the defensive graduate assistant from 2010-12 at Oklahoma State where he was mainly responsible for the linebackers. The Cowboys went 11-2 in 2010 and defeated Arizona in the Alamo Bowl. The 2011 season followed with more success, as they were the Big 12 Champions finishing with a 12-1 record and No. 3 final AP ranking after a win over Stanford in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. In 2012, Oklahoma State was 8-5 including a win over Purdue in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. He helped OSU's linebackers Caleb Lavey and Shaun Lewis achieve All-Big 12 honorable mention status in 2012.
While Thacker was a graduate assistant at UCF, he worked closely with current Temple head coach Geoff Collins who was the Knights’ linebackers coach from 2008-09. In 2008, the Knights’ defense allowed just 333.8 yards per game, led by All-Conference USA first team defensive backs Sha'reff Rashad and Joe Burnett. UCF recorded an 8-5 record in 2009 that included an appearance in the St. Petersburg Bowl. Defensive end Bruce Miller claimed the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year award, and he was joined by defensive mates Jarvis Geathers and Cory Hogue on the all-league first team.
Thacker played at Furman from (2004-07) where he started at safety for the Paladins. He was the 2004 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year and the 35-15 during Thackers four year career, including making three NCAA FCS Playoff appearances.
The Cartersville, Ga., native received his bachelor's degree from Furman in political science and Spanish in 2007. He is married to the former Liza Calhoun and the couple have a daughter, Caroline Brooks, and a son, Bear.
