Auburn staffer announces exit, will reportedly join Billy Napier, Florida

Auburn director of football operations Joshua Thompson announced on Twitter Tuesday that he is leaving Auburn after one year with the program. He has not yet confirmed where he is heading; however, reports suggest that Thompson is on his way to Florida to join first-year head coach Billy Napier’s staff.

Should Thompson land at Florida, it will be his third SEC program in as many seasons, and the fourth SEC program at which he’s worked.

“Thank you athletic director Allen Greene, head coach Bryan Harsin, associate AD Brad Larrondo and my COO Marcy Girton. YOu all made my experience an amazing one during my time on The Plains,” Thompson said in a Twitter statement. “I am also extremely appreciative of Jeremy Roberts, Lauren Silvio and Jorrell Bostrom. We were an amazing operations team this season and I wish you all continued success.”

Green was hired by Auburn as part of Harsin’s initial staff with the Tigers, just one year ago. He came to Auburn from Arkansas, where he served as the Razorbacks’ director of recruiting, a role he held since May 2019 under then-head coach Chad Morris. Thompson was retained by Sam Pittman, Arkansas’ next head coach, after Morris’ dismissal.

“To the Auburn football student-athletes, you know I’ll always be here for you,” Thompson continued. “Last and certainly not least, to all the coaches, especially Derek Mason, coach Mike Bobo and coach Zac Etheridge, I truly appreciate all of you!”

Before his one-year stints at Auburn and Arkansas, Thompson previously worked at Texas A&M and at Louisiana-Lafayette. At Texas A&M, he served as a recruiting assistant, and with the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, Thompson worked as the director of recruiting and football operations. If Thompson does in fact join the staff at Florida, he will reunite with his former boss, Napier, who first hired him at Louisiana-Lafayette.

Napier and the Florida Gators have now announced 33 new staff members since he succeeded Dan Mullen. Seven on-field assistants and 26 support staff hires have been made official. Earlier today, Florida made one of its biggest hires official, as the Gators named Rob Sale as the program’s newest offensive coordinator.