Cecil Thomas - Football Coach - Weber State University Athletics

Cecil Thomas

Title:
Assistant Coach/Offensive Line

Thomas spent two seasons as an assistant coaching coaching the offensive line at Weber State. In those two seasons with the Wildcats he coached J.C. Oram to All-American honors two times.

   Thomas comes to Weber State after a successful coaching career at Cottonwood High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. Thomas served as head of the Colts for three seasons (2007-2009) posting an overall record of 31-6. His 2008 squad posted a 13-1 mark, losing its only game in the Class 4A state championship game. In 2007, his team was 10-1 with a loss in the quarterfinal game of the 4A state championship.

   During his tenure at CHS, Thomas’s teams won three region titles and 15 of his players earned Division I football scholarships. Three of his players, Simi Fili, Lynn Katoa and John Martinez earned high school all-America honors. He produced 12 First Team All-State players and in 2008, tailback Isi Sofele was named the Class 4A MVP. His teams had success in the classroom as well. Every one of his players during his three-years graduated and qualified through the NCAA Clearinghouse.

   In 2008 he was selected to coach the offensive line in the ESPN Under Armour High School All-American game and also coached in the 2009 ESPN Under Armour where his offensive line did not allow a sack the entire game.

   Prior to being named head coach, Thomas served four-years as an assistant at Cottonwood from 2002 through 2006 under Coach Tom Jones. As an assistant, he helped design and implement after school study for student-athletes. He redesigned the existing weight room and redirected the school’s strength and conditioning program. In 2004 the Colts advanced to the state 4A championship game and lost in the semifinals in 2005.   In 2001 he served as the offensive line and strength coach at Taylorsville High before moving to Cottonwood.

   A native of Hammond, Louisiana, Thomas graduated from Hammond High where he was a four-year letter winner in both football and soccer. Thomas was originally set to sign at Southeastern Louisiana in his hometown, but the school’s efforts to revive football at the school failed to materialize. Southeastern Louisiana had made current Utah State head coach, Gary Anderson, its offensive coordinator. Anderson had been an assistant at Ricks College. Anderson returned to the Ricks College staff and told Utah about Thomas and he signed with the Utes.

   Thomas spent his initial season at Utah as a red-shirt in 1989 under Coach Fassel. In 1990, Ron McBride took over the Utah program and Thomas was a part of his rebuilding project for the Utes. He became a three-year letter winner and a two-year starter on the offensive line under McBride. He played in two bowl games for the Utes against Washington State in the 1992 Copper Bowl and in 1993 versus Southern Cal in the Freedom Bowl. During his senior season he was honored by the University of Utah with the Dr. Burtis T. Evans Award for outstanding community service.

   Thomas graduated from Utah in 1992 with a bachelor’s of science degree in Sociology with a minor in Criminology and later earned a Master’s degree from the University of Phoenix in Education and also a Teaching Certificate in Physical Education.

   Upon graduation he served a coaching internship at the CFL Training Camp for the Calgary Stampeders working with the offensive line. From 1996 through 1998 he worked as a graduated assistant coach at Utah under Ron McBride working with the tackles and tight ends. He also served as coordinator for game film exchange with Utah opponents. He also monitored and followed the academic progress of football student-athletes as well.

   Thomas and his wife, the former Natalie Evans from Providence, Utah, are the parents of a son Jordan, a daughter Madison, and a son C.J.