Who is Glenn Thomas? Arizona States offensive coordinator brings a detailed touch and a trail of

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas didn’t play college football, but he has coached at the sport’s highest level. Former players describe him as a player’s coach, someone who mentors the entire position room, not just the starters. Former coaches praise his football intelligence and knack for explaining offensive concepts.

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The 44-year old Thomas replaces Zak Hill, one of five Arizona State assistants to depart in wake of an NCAA investigation into improper recruiting. He inherits an offense that underperformed the second half of last season, mostly because quarterback Jayden Daniels and the passing game sputtered. Thomas likely will work closely with former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick, who last month joined the Arizona State staff as an offensive analyst and advisor to coach Herm Edwards.

The two have a history: As a young coach, Thomas got to know Billick while working as a summer volunteer with the Ravens. Mike Smith, who is related to Thomas, also worked on that Baltimore staff and later would hire Thomas when he became head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Smith is Billick’s brother-in-law.

In addition to spending seven seasons with the Falcons, Thomas has coached quarterbacks and directed offenses at Midwestern State, Temple, Baylor and UNLV. But outside of yardage numbers and offensive rankings at those stops, not much about Thomas is known beyond his resume. Even after Arizona State announced his hire Jan. 31, fans still had the most basic question:

Who is Glenn Thomas?

Teaching terminology

Let’s start in Atlanta, where Thomas joined Smith’s staff in 2008 as an offensive quality control assistant. Four seasons later, he was promoted to quarterbacks coach. Among his first tasks in 2012: Getting new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter up to speed.

A former Arizona State head coach, Koetter had just come from Jacksonville, where he had run the Jaguars’ offense for five seasons. Because the Falcons had so many key offensive players returning, Smith wanted to keep the same offense that previous coordinator Mike Mularkey had used. Thomas gave Koetter the introductory course.

“I don’t know how you are, but I’m one of those people, if I’m learning something new, knowing the theory and history behind it helps me learn instead of just rote memorization,” Koetter said this week. “So Glenn taught me the history behind the system that Mularkey used, which evolved from the Pittsburgh Steelers days.”

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In 2012, Atlanta had a veteran group of quarterbacks that included Matt Ryan and Chris Redman. Koetter often sat in Thomas’ quarterback meetings. “You know, when you have a veteran quarterback like Matt Ryan, there’s a lot of give and take in those meetings,” Koetter said. But he was impressed with how the 34-year-old Thomas conducted himself. He was structured. He was organized. And he was a good teacher. “For a guy his age, his knowledge of NFL defense was really impressive,” Koetter said.

Redman, who was wrapping up his career around this time, admired how Thomas got along with everyone, which is not always easy in the NFL. He also appreciated Thomas’ approach. The young quarterbacks coach recognized he was working with veterans, so there had to be compromises. “It was more of a partnership than a dictatorship, and that’s kind of what it takes to be successful in the NFL,” Redman said. “It’s, ‘Hey, we’re all in this together, let’s keep an open dialogue,’ and I think that was one of his best things. He was just able to talk to everybody and pretty much work with the things that we wanted to do. He had a way that he liked to play, but at the same time he was willing to adapt to everyone’s style.”

Back to college

Atlanta fired coach Mike Smith at the end of the 2014 season, which ended Thomas’ time with the Falcons. Two months later, he joined Matt Rhule’s Temple staff as quarterbacks coach. (Thomas added offensive coordinator to his duties his second year.) With the Owls, Thomas helped develop P.J. Walker, who became the program’s career passing leader and an NFL quarterback. He also motivated those deeper on the depth chart.

In 2016, Logan Marchi was a redshirt freshman, one of four quarterbacks fighting to back up Walker. Looking back, Marchi admits he wasn’t the easiest guy to coach. He was young. He wanted to operate outside of the system. Thomas, however, never gave up on him.

“Still to this day, to myself, I thank him for doing that,” said Marchi, an offensive assistant on the staff at East Tennessee State. “Because one, he kept developing me. And two, when you get into the position I’m in now, you look back and you see how much patience he had to have in order to really care about a kid and care about what he’s doing. To not just say, ‘Screw it’ or give up. I got a lot of respect for him.”

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At Temple, Rhule credited Thomas for cleaning up Walker’s thought process, which helped the quarterback’s decision-making. The Owls were versatile in their attack but mostly operated a pro-style-offense, lining up often in 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) and 21 personnel (two backs, one tight end). “It was more pro-style, but we also lined up in the gun,” Marchi said. “There was really nothing we couldn’t get into or couldn’t do.”

In 2017 Thomas followed Rhule to Baylor, joining the staff as quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator. Three years later, Rhule left for the NFL to coach the Carolina Panthers, and Thomas joined Marcus Arroyo’s UNLV staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Thomas, splitting play-calling duties with Arroyo, made an immediate impact on quarterback Max Gilliam with the Rebels rebuilding.

“Coach Thomas was the best coach I ever had when it comes to studying film,” Gilliam said in a text message. “He pays great attention to detail. The small nuances of the game that are given more attention at the NFL level — like managing the pass protection and spotting linebackers for the O-line and running backs — most QB coaches don’t worry about that and let the O-line control that. But it gives the QB control of the entire offense and a better understanding of how to attack the defense.”

Thomas as offensive coordinator

The challenge at Arizona State

Thomas grew up in a small Texas town that sits between Abilene and Fort Worth on Interstate 20. At Eastland High, he played quarterback and ran the wishbone. Thomas was small and lacked arm talent, but he competed as hard as anyone, said former Eastland coach Ronnie Hughes. Had he not injured his knee, he might have attracted small-college attention. Instead, Thomas enrolled at Texas Tech, where he worked in the football program as a student assistant, jumpstarting his coaching career.

“You knew that he was destined to do big things,” said former Midwestern State quarterback Rahsaan Bell, who uses the same drills Thomas taught him as a college player in his own Texas high school coaching career.  “The way he carried himself, his knowledge … He was just a stand-up guy.”

At Arizona State, Thomas will lead an offense that last season averaged 28.4 points, sixth in the Pac-12. The Sun Devils have questions on the offensive line (where they lost three starters) and at receiver (upgrades are needed), but also at quarterback. Daniels is elite running the ball, but his passing regressed in two seasons under Hill. While that’s not all his fault, some inside the program say Daniels has had it too easy, practicing and competing without fear of losing his job. To help Daniels reach his potential, Thomas may have to elevate the entire room and create competition.

Redman, the former NFL quarterback, said he’s more than capable.

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“He’s technical to a point but not like overkill,” Redman said. “That’s where the (Arizona State) quarterbacks are going to love him because he’ll make sure they’re fundamentally sound, but at the same time really work with what they’re doing. They’re going to learn so much because he’s been around so many good players and been in so many good offenses. He has a huge repertoire that he can he use. I’m excited to see what he does out there.”

(Photo courtesy of UNLV Athletics)

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