Lance Thompson leaves Alabama, joins Auburn coaching staff

Ken Bradley

Lance Thompson leaves Alabama, joins Auburn coaching staff image

It's not like this sort of thing hasn't happened before between Alabama and Auburn. 

But this close to signing day?

Auburn announced the hiring of Lance Thompson as its linebackers coach Wednesday. Thompson worked on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama since 2012.

MORE: Why Alabama won't go away? Recruiting | 5-star studs, duds | Steele, Orgeron to LSU

In fact, Thompson — a graduate of The Citadel — has served three separate stints in Tuscaloosa. He coached the defensive line in 1999 and 2000 and outside linebackers in 2007-08.

He also previously worked with Saban — and Muschamp — at LSU in 2002 and '03. Thompson was assistant head coach in charge of recruiting at LSU with Saban in 2003 when the Tigers won the BCS championship.

In 2008 at Alabama, Thompson was named the Rivals.com recruiter of the year.

"I'm really excited and very appreciative to be joining the Auburn football family and work with Coach Malzahn, Coach Muschamp and the entire staff," Thompson said in a statement. "I have a great amount of respect for Coach Malzahn and what he represents and what he has accomplished in a short period of time. I hope to bring my strengths to the program to help Auburn football achieve its goals of winning a national championship. I’m blessed to be joining Coach Malzahn’s staff and the Auburn family."

While Thompson's move to Auburn will create plenty of chatter within the state, it's not the first time a coach with allegiances to Alabama or Auburn has gone to the dark side (applies either way).

Pat Dye, a Georgia graduate, was an assistant for Bear Bryant from 1965-73. After landing head coaching jobs at East Carolina and Wyoming, Dye was hired at Auburn and won 99 games from 1981 to 1992.

Bill Oliver played defensive back for Bryant from 1959-61 and spent five years coaching defensive backs at Auburn before joining Bryant's staff in Tuscaloosa from 1971-79. After several stops at other places, Oliver returned to Alabama and was defensive coordinator from 1993-95. Auburn then hired him for the same spot in 1996 and he spent five games in 1998 as Auburn's interim coach after Terry Bowden resigned.

More recently, James Willis defected. An All-SEC linebacker at Auburn, Willis coached linebackers on Tommy Tuberville's staff for three seasons. He was kept on staff when Gene Chizik was hired after Tuberville was fired, but that didn't last long. On Jan. 21, 2009 — less than three weeks from National Signing Day — Willis joined Saban's staff at Alabama. 

Willis stayed just one season in Tuscaloosa, but it was a good one. The Crimson Tide won the BCS championship.

So is Thompson's move to Auburn a big deal?

Within the state borders, it certainly is.

If he can help Will Muschamp turn around Auburn's defense and recruit for Gus Malzahn the way he did for Saban, its effect will be felt well beyond Alabama.

Ken Bradley