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spanning the 1982 and 1983 seasons to pursue his academic career, then returned as defensive coordinator in 1984. In 1985, he was named assistant head coach, while retaining his defensive coordinator responsibilities.
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Following his playing career, Thomas was a graduate assistant for
Northeast Louisiana University (now the
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team. He compiled a record of 15–18 (.455) during the 1986–1988 seasons. From 1990 to 2002, he was the
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290:(SWAC) offensive player of the year for the 1973 season, becoming the first (and to date only)
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also played for Alcorn State and served as the team's head coach from 1998 through 2007.
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Dennis Thomas, Alcorn State - 2022 College
Football Hall of Fame Press Conference
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In
January 1986, Thomas left Alcorn State to become head coach of the
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in
Virginia. From 2002 to 2021, he served as commissioner of the
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African-American college athletic directors in the United States
991:
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College athletic conference commissioners in the United States
950:"Top 50 Greatest Football Players: No. 15, Johnny Thomas"
252:
Thomas attended
Southside High School in his hometown of
370:
While at Alcon A&M, Thomas was president of the
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South
Carolina State Bulldogs head football coaches
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382:from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a
619:"MEAC, Alcorn's Dr. Dennis Thomas headed to HOF"
286:for the 1972 and 1973 seasons. He was named the
217:(born September 5, 1953) is an American former
1258:South Carolina State Bulldogs football coaches
1278:African-American coaches of American football
1228:Coaches of American football from Mississippi
1223:Players of American football from Mississippi
1003:
8:
314:coach at Alcorn State, joining the staff of
21:
256:, where he played football and competed in
1288:21st-century African-American sportspeople
1283:20th-century African-American sportspeople
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625:. HBCU Gameday Newswire. January 10, 2022
1248:University of Louisiana at Monroe alumni
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310:coach there in 1975. In 1976, he became
1243:College Football Hall of Fame inductees
554:"Alcorn Univ. hires New Football coach"
540:
388:State University of New York at Buffalo
1218:People from Jasper County, Mississippi
930:. SC State Athletics. 2011. p. 76
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611:
354:In 2022, Thomas was inducted into the
332:South Carolina State Bulldogs football
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520:
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7:
1238:Alcorn State Braves football players
921:"SC State All-time Coaching Records"
16:American football player (born 1953)
360:Black College Football Hall of Fame
861:"Alcorn Coach Named At S.C. State"
378:from Alcorn State, Thomas holds a
318:. In 1979, Thomas was promoted to
14:
304:University of Louisiana at Monroe
701:"Thomas Replaces Brasher at NLU"
673:"1973 Courier All-American Team"
288:Southwestern Athletic Conference
645:"1972 Courier All-America Team"
432:Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
344:Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
264:at Alcorn A&M College (now
681:. December 29, 1973. p. 9
1:
873:. January 10, 1986. p. 4
653:. January 6, 1973. p. 10
426:South Carolina State Bulldogs
374:fraternity. In addition to a
356:College Football Hall of Fame
197:College Football Hall of Fame
1253:University at Buffalo alumni
809:. August 7, 1984. p. 3C
777:. March 28, 1979. p. 2D
268:) during the early 1970s. A
881:– via newspapers.com.
849:– via newspapers.com.
841:. June 20, 1985. p. 6C
829:"Thomas moves up at Alcorn"
817:– via newspapers.com.
785:– via newspapers.com.
753:– via newspapers.com.
745:. April 9, 1976. p. 5C
721:– via newspapers.com.
689:– via newspapers.com.
661:– via newspapers.com.
570:– via newspapers.com.
1304:
135:Alcorn State (Asst. HC/DC)
1263:Hampton University people
1233:American football centers
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866:Anderson Independent-Mail
713:. May 14, 1975. p. 7
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306:) during 1974 and became
276:, he received first-team
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871:Anderson, South Carolina
839:Hattiesburg, Mississippi
562:. May 1, 1976. p. 9
266:Alcorn State University
254:Heidelberg, Mississippi
155:Administrative career (
48:Heidelberg, Mississippi
896:"Dr. Dennis E. Thomas"
595:footballfoundation.org
711:Shreveport, Louisiana
507:South Carolina State:
320:defensive coordinator
928:SC State Media Guide
834:Hattiesburg American
807:Jackson, Mississippi
775:Jackson, Mississippi
743:Jackson, Mississippi
491:South Carolina State
470:South Carolina State
449:South Carolina State
398:Head coaching record
179:Head coaching record
144:South Carolina State
27:Biographical details
403:
298:Post-playing career
237:athletic conference
97:Northeast Louisiana
23:
802:The Clarion-Ledger
797:"College Football"
770:The Clarion-Ledger
738:The Clarion-Ledger
678:Pittsburgh Courier
650:Pittsburgh Courier
559:Pittsburgh Courier
402:
340:Hampton University
294:to win the award.
283:Pittsburgh Courier
200:Inducted in 2022 (
169:Hampton University
1195:
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1121:William B. Harris
532:
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376:bachelor's degree
336:athletic director
292:offensive lineman
260:. He then played
235:, and collegiate
233:athletic director
231:, college sports
219:gridiron football
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84:Coaching career (
42:September 5, 1953
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1065:Oliver C. Dawson
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1057:Robert A. Brooks
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324:leave of absence
280:honors from the
262:college football
226:college football
215:Dennis E. Thomas
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591:"Dennis Thomas"
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380:master's degree
372:Kappa Alpha Psi
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765:"Alcorn State"
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390:. His brother
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308:defensive line
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248:Playing career
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392:Johnny Thomas
389:
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366:Personal life
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159:unless noted)
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44:(age 71)
34:
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22:Dennis Thomas
19:
1177:Oliver Pough
1160:
1113:Roy D. Moore
1072:
1049:P. V. Brooks
1040:
958:. Retrieved
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932:. Retrieved
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903:. Retrieved
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875:. Retrieved
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843:. Retrieved
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655:. Retrieved
648:
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594:
564:. Retrieved
557:
526:15–18 (.455)
521:
511:15–18 (.455)
506:
429:
424:
369:
353:
329:
322:. He took a
316:Marino Casem
301:
281:
278:All-American
251:
214:
213:
187:15–18 (.455)
64:Alcorn State
18:
1208:1953 births
1179:(2002–2023)
1171:(1989–2001)
1163:(1986–1988)
1155:(1979–1985)
1147:(1973–1978)
1139:(1965–1972)
1131:(1962–1964)
1129:George Bell
1123:(1960–1961)
1115:(1956–1959)
1099:(1953–1954)
1091:(1951–1952)
1083:(1946–1950)
1075:(1943–1945)
1067:(1937–1942)
1059:(1932–1935)
1043:(1927–1930)
1035:(1925–1926)
1033:W. C. Lewis
437:(1986–1988)
74:Position(s)
1202:Categories
1153:Bill Davis
1137:Oree Banks
960:October 9,
934:October 9,
905:October 9,
877:October 9,
845:October 9,
813:October 9,
781:October 9,
749:October 9,
733:"etcetera"
717:October 9,
685:October 9,
657:October 9,
629:October 9,
600:October 9,
566:October 9,
535:References
514:9–7 (.563)
501:4th (tie)
459:3rd (tie)
416:Conference
312:linebacker
229:head coach
38:1953-09-05
706:The Times
419:Standing
386:from the
384:doctorate
274:letterman
243:Biography
165:1990–2002
140:1986–1988
108:1976–1978
60:1971–1973
1187:(2024– )
413:Overall
362:(2020).
346:(MEAC).
258:shot put
1073:No team
1041:Unknown
983:YouTube
202:profile
184:Overall
1107:(1955)
1051:(1931)
956:. 2014
522:Total:
350:Honors
270:center
222:center
78:Center
50:, U.S.
924:(PDF)
410:Team
407:Year
981:via
962:2023
936:2023
907:2023
879:2023
847:2023
815:2023
783:2023
751:2023
719:2023
687:2023
659:2023
631:2023
602:2023
568:2023
486:1988
480:3rd
465:1987
444:1986
132:1985
93:1975
32:Born
498:3–3
495:4–7
477:3–2
474:6–5
456:3–2
453:5–6
338:at
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675:.
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610:^
593:.
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543:^
224:,
157:AD
125:DC
113:LB
101:DL
86:HC
40:)
1011:e
1004:t
997:v
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99:(
36:(
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