Gingold and Thompson named Bulldog football assistant coaches

FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno State head football coach Jeff Tedford announced the additions of two assistant coaches on Friday, Kenwick Thompson and Lucus Gingold. The two hires fill out the Bulldogs' 10 on-field assistant coaches permitted by the NCAA Division I Council.

The vacancy left by promoting Bert Watts to defensive coordinator on March 13 was filled by Thompson to guide the Bulldog linebackers moving forward. Thompson joins the staff from most recently being at Eastern Carolina but his relationship with Tedford dates back to his Cal days when he was on the Golden Bears' staff from 2007-12.

"I worked with Kenwick for a long time at Cal and his knowledge of the game is excellent" said Tedford. "And there's a lot of similarities with some of our schemes with Coach Watts, which helps them be familiar with each other in that way. It was a really good fit. A good opportunity to bring in a great person who I trust and has a lot of knowledge and is a great mentor to the student-athletes."

Gingold, a Bulldog staffer since the summer of 2016, fills the 10th on-field assistant coach vacancy. In April of 2017, the NCAA Division I Council passed a measure that would allow teams to add a 10th coach, effective Jan. 9, 2018. Gingold's role is to be an assistant for the running back and special teams groups.

"Lucus has been here and has paid his dues," said Tedford about promoting Gingold. "He's a really hard-working guy that has familiarity with our players and with what we did last year. I felt like it was great opportunity for a young guy like himself who's earned it through all his dedication to earn a full-time job."

A GLANCE AT THOMPSON

Thompson was first hired by Tedford in 2007 to be his linebackers coach, a relationship that lasted until Tedford's departure from Cal in 2012. By the time 2012 rolled around, Thompson was promoted to associate head coach by Tedford in their sixth season together.

Prior to Thompson's promotion, the 2011 Golden Bears' team led the Pac-12 in total defense (332.92 ypg) and pass defense (204.23 ypg) and the linebacker corps accounted for 307 of the team's 517 tackles, which was led by linebacker Mychal Kendricks, the Pat Tillman Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American that recently won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.

In the recruiting world, Thompson helped guide Cal to three consecutive classes from 2010-12 ranked as high as No. 11, No. 13 and No. 15 nationally.

Thompson has one year of experience coaching in the Mountain West as he returned to San Jose State for one season in 2013 before a two-year stint at Vanderbilt followed by his most recent stop at Eastern Carolina.

As a collegiate player, he was a defensive standout and team captain at Harding (Ark.) University, earning all-conference honors as a senior. Thompson earned his undergraduate degree from Harding in 1992. Thompson's first coaching position came in a player-coach capacity in the Italian-American Professional Football League in 1990. The following season, Thompson was named a graduate assistant at his alma mater.

Experience:
2016-17: Eastern Carolina – defensive coordinator
2014-15: Vanderbilt – associate head coach/linebackers
2013: San Jose State - defensive coordinator/linebackers
2012: California – associate head coach/linebackers/recruiting coordinator
2007-11: California – linebackers/recruiting coordinator
2006: San Jose State – defensive tackles
2005: San Jose State – football strength and conditioning coach
2004: San Jose State – defensive line/co-recruiting coordinator
2002-03: San Jose State – linebackers/recruiting coordinator
2001: San Jose State – linebackers
1996-2000: Texas Southern – assistant head coach/defensive coordinator
1995: Texas Southern – defensive line/recruiting coordinator
1994: Texas Southern – running backs
1991-92: Harding University – graduate assistant

A GLANCE AT GINGOLD

Gingold (pronounced GHIN-gold) served as a special teams quality control assistant for the past two seasons for the Bulldog football program. He joined the staff on June 20, 2016.

Prior to joining the Bulldogs, Gingold was on staff at Clovis West High School for one season in 2015 to start his coaching career. Gingold played collegiately at the University of California from 2012-14 after two seasons at Reedley College. He redshirted his first year at Cal before playing in all 12 games and starting four as a redshirt junior during the 2013 season, and then saw action in six games as a senior in 2014 before suffering a season-ending injury. He spent most of that stretch as the team's top fullback with blocking his primary responsibility. Statistically, he finished with four receptions for 41 yards and one touchdown catch during his Cal career.

As a senior, Gingold earned a scholarship during training camp after initially joining the squad as a walk-on and was subsequently named a team captain. He also served as game captain in a contest vs. Arizona.

A Fresno native, Gingold attended Buchanan High School where he was a second-team All-Valley selection who was also a team captain and his squad's outstanding lineman of the year as a 2009 senior center for a club that finished 10-1 overall and won its second straight Tri-River League title with a 5-0 conference mark.

He graduated from Cal in December of 2014 with a bachelor's degree in sociology.

Experience:
2016-17: Fresno State – special teams quality control assistant
2015: Clovis West HS – assistant coach

FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL STAFF (SPRING 2018)

Jeff Tedford - Head Coach
Kalen DeBoer - Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
Bert Watts - Defensive Coordinator
Jamar Cain - Assistant Coach (Defensive Line)
Jamie Christian - Assistant Coach (Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator)
Ryan Grubb - Assistant Coach (Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator)
Kirby Moore - Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers)
Scott Thompson - Assistant Coach (Tight Ends)
Kenwick Thompson - Assistant Coach (Linebackers)
J.D. Williams - Assistant Coach (Defensive Backs)
Lucus Gingold - Assistant Coach (Asst. RB/ST)
Brad Vonnahme - Offensive Analyst
Andy Ward - Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Football
Dylan Chmura - Offensive Graduate Assistant
D.J. Harper - Offensive Graduate Assistant
Matt Lea - Defensive Graduate Assistant
C.J. McGorisk - Defensive Graduate Assistant
Mike McHugh - Assistant A.D. for Football Operations/Chief of Staff
Brian Wilkinson - Assistant Director of Operations
Spencer Harris - Director of Player Personnel
Quinn Tedford - Assistant Director of Player Personnel
Josh Harper - Director of On-Campus Recruiting

"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160

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Gingold and Thompson named Bulldog football assistant coaches

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