Multiple sources have confirmed that the new head coach of Cougar football, Jimmy Rogers, hired both his defensive coordinator and his defensive line coach on Friday. Former South Dakota State DC Jesse Bobbit will lead the Cougs’ defense and Cal Poly’s Everette Thompson will coach the defensive line.
The report comes just days after Rogers hired his first staff member in SDSU OC Danny Freund. Rogers now has his two most important roles solidified, bringing familiar faces with him to the Palouse to ease the transition.
Bobbit is returning to Pullman after stints as a defensive graduate assistant and quality control coach in 2020 and 2021, which included an appearance in the Sun Bowl. His time at WSU marked the only split in his significant history with SDSU, including time in Brookings, South Dakota, as a coach and a player.
Bobbit took over the Jackrabbits’ DC position and coached the linebackers starting in 2023, in which his defense held teams to an impressive 9.3 points per game, more than five points fewer than the next-best FCS defense. That defense also held opponents to zero touchdowns in six games and produced three shutouts. The Jackrabbits won a second consecutive national championship behind a defense that topped the FCS in yards allowed, turnovers and red-zone defense.
During the 2024 season, the SDSU defense had another strong performance, ranking fifth in total defense and first in scoring defense for a second straight year.
Bobbit has had continued success with his defenders too, producing several All-Americans over the years. Bobbit started at SDSU as a graduate assistant in 2019, before coaching the safeties in 2022 and transitioning to DC in 2023.
Bobbit previously played at SDSU from 2013-16 and was named team captain in his senior season. He recorded 306 career tackles, 110 of which came in his last year where he was named a second-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection.
Rogers also added Thompson, the former Cal Poly co-special teams coordinator and offensive line coach, to be the Cougs’ new defensive line coach. Thompson started at Cal Poly in 2022 as the Mustangs’ defensive quality control coach, before transitioning to offensive quality control in 2023. Thompson previously coached Northern Arizona’s defensive line from 2019-21 after coaching at Phoenix College.
Thompson will join a new side in the Apple Cup after playing for Washington from 2008-11 on the Huskies’ defensive line. The former Husky played in 47 games, including two bowl games, at UW. Thompson played in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals for three seasons from 2012-14 as an undrafted free agent.
With three coaches now hired, Rogers has a total of $4.5 million to share among his assistants according to WSU athletic director Anne McCoy. That number is $1 million more than what former coach Jake Dickert was planning to have for his staff.
Rogers is off to a strong start, but has many more roles and positions to fill as he shapes his vision for a successful Cougar football program.
