Former Notre Dame linebacker promoted at SEC job

Jimmy Thompson played on Notre Dame's 2018 College Football Playoff team

Oct 19, 2019; Nashville, TN, USA; General view of an SEC logo as a Vanderbilt Commodores player walks to the locker room before the game against the Missouri Tigers at Vanderbilt Stadium. / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

A former Notre Dame linebacker has been promoted at an SEC football program.

Jimmy Thompson, who was a reserve linebacker at Notre Dame, has been named the Stars coach for Vanderbilt.

The Star position is essentially Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea's name for an outside linebacker that both gets after the opposing quarterback and can drop into coverage.

The move was first reported by Football Scoop.

Thompson will continue to work with all of Vanderbilt's linebackers, who are coached by Nick Lezynski, another former Notre Dame football player.

Thompson and Lezynski both played for Clark Lea during the current Vanderbilt head coach's time as defensive coordinator at Notre Dame.

Vanderbilt has continued to struggle under Lea, who took over in 2021.

The Commodores went just 2-10 in Lea's first year before jumping to 5-7 in 2022. Vanderbilt however fell back to just 2-10 last season.

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