Williams Promoted To DC, Thompson and Neighbors Officially Hired
Press Release:
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – University of Maryland Head Football Coach Michael Locksley announced on Wednesday that Brian Williams has been promoted to Defensive Coordinator of the Terrapin football program. Locksley also announced the additions of Lance Thompson and Wes Neighbors to round out his defensive coaching staff. Thompson will serve as the Terps inside linebackers coach, while Neighbors will coach the safeties.
Williams, who has been with the Terps since Locksley’s first season in 2019, served as Maryland’s outside linebackers coach in 2019, the defensive line coach in 2020 and was elevated to co-defensive coordinator in 2021. He’ll continue to coach the defensive line unit.
Previously at UAB, Georgia and Florida State, Williams is regarded as one of the best recruiters in the nation. He was dubbed as the top recruiter in the Big Ten and sixth best recruiter nationally by 247Sports after the 2021 recruiting cycle. Since Williams' arrival, the Terps have had three consecutive top-35 classes, including the No. 18 class nationally in 2021. Williams was the lead recruiter on current Terps Demeioun Robinson, Ruben Hyppolite II, Darrell Jackson and Taizse Johnson.
During Williams’ time in College Park, he has mentored All-Big Ten performers Sam Okuayinonu, Ami Finau, Mosiah Nasili-Kite and current Cincinnati Bengal Keandre Jones.
In 2021, Williams guided Okuayinonu to a career year where he earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors after leading the Terrapins and standing 12th in the Big Ten with six sacks (all solo). The defensive lineman also led the team with 8.5 tackles for loss. Finau also earned Big Ten plaudits under Williams after a season where he had several impressive games for the Terps, including posting a career-high 11 tackles to go along with a sack and forced fumble at Michigan State.
Williams served as the primary play caller for the Terps final two games this past season - wins over Rutgers and Virginia Tech. With Williams on the headset, the Terps allowed just 26 total points in those two games, which were the two lowest point totals allowed by the Maryland defense against Power Five teams all season. Maryland only allowed 298 yards of total offense per game over those two, totaled six sacks, held Rutgers and Virginia Tech 8-of-29 on third down and forced two turnovers, including returning a fumble for a touchdown against the Hokies.
Thompson arrives in College Park with a plethora of championship level coaching experience, having served as a member of national championship staffs at Alabama, Georgia Tech and LSU. He was a member of four SEC championship coaching staffs, two ACC championship staffs and one Conference USA divisional winner.
Additionally, he either coached or recruited players who participated in eight National Championship games, winning seven of those contests (Georgia Tech, LSU twice and Alabama four times).
Thompson was ranked as the No. 1 recruiter in the nation on the Ultimate ESPN 300 recruiting power rankings for 2014 when he was coaching at Alabama, and was named Rivals National Recruiter of the Year in 2008, also with the Crimson Tide.
In his career that has spanned over 30 years, Thompson has served as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech, Alabama, LSU, UCF, Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina and Florida Atlantic.
Thompson has coached and/or recruited several players who have been selected highly in the NFL Draft, including Julio Jones, Mark Barron, Trent Richardson, D.J. Fluker, Chance Warmack, Marco Coleman, Cornelius Griffin, Marquise Hill, Laron Landry, Tyson Jackson, Coutney Upshaw and Coleman Rudolph.
Most recently at Florida Atlantic, Thompson joined the Owls in the spring of 2019 as the team’s defensive line coach and the program’s recruiting coordinator. In his first year, he mentored a veteran defensive line that combined for 43 tackles for loss, 22 of which were sacks, as well as recording 28 quarterback hurries. The front line also headed up a rushing defense that improved 50 spots nationally from 2018 to 2019, moving from 89th to 39th in the country while giving up 52.3 fewer yards per game. The team's overall scoring defense was 59 spots better, ranking 33rd, and the squad finished 19th in FBS in red zone defense as well.
Neighbors was part of five national championship teams at Alabama (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2017) as both a player and staff member. Neighbors arrives in College Park after serving as a position coach at Louisiana, South Florida and Florida Atlantic.
Neighbors was the Ragin Cajuns Safeties Coach in 2021, helping lead Louisiana to a historic 13-1 season and a Sun Belt Championship. The season culminated with a win in the R+L New Orleans Bowl against Marshall where he served as the Interim Defensive Coordinator, holding Marshall to just 21 points.
Under Neighbors tutelage, Louisiana had one of the best defenses in the nation in 2021, standing 14th in the FBS in passing yards allowed at only 190.1 yards per game. The Cajun defense only allowed 18.5 points per game and held eight opponents under 20 points. Junior safety Percy Butler earned Third Team All-Sun Belt honors with Neighbors guidance, totaling 61 tackles (37 solo), six tackles for loss, four pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and one interception.
Neighbors spent the 2020 season at South Florida, where he helped coach a secondary that produced 10 interceptions. Mekhi LaPointe was one of the top defensive players on the team under Neighbors’ tutelage, ranking second on the team with two interceptions and third among secondary players with 33 tackles.
Neighbors spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Florida Atlantic, helping the Owls’ defense become one of the best in the nation. In 2019, the Owls set a program record with 21 interceptions and led the nation in total takeaways (33), interceptions (22) and turnover margin (+21).
In his first season at FAU (2018), Neighbors’ safeties unit was led by senior Jalen Young, a Second Team All-Conference USA selection that ended his career tied among all active FBS players with 13 interceptions and finished second on the team with 59 tackles.