Brahmas on the Move: Williams is Brahmas new OL Coach, Thompson added to coach Running Backs

The Brahmas coaching staff must adjust as the San Antonio Brahmas prepares for training camp in 2025. A few weeks ago, the UFL released announcements for the coaching staff for each UFL team heading into the 2025 UFL season. Soon after those announcements, Brahmas offensive line coach Andre Gurode accepted an offer to become the offensive line coach at the University of Colorado.

Gurode getting an opportunity as an offensive line coach for a Power 4 football team is a big step up from being an offensive line coach in the UFL financially and in terms of perception. Gurode’s opportunity created an opening on the Brahmas coaching staff, leaving the Brahmas with a difficult decision. Do they add a new offensive line coach from outside the organization, or do they promote from within, shuffling the coaches that already have a relationship with head coach Wade Phillips?

According to a tweet by UFL Insider James Larsen, the Brahmas have chosen a combination of the two strategies by moving running backs coach Marvin Williams to coach the offensive line and adding Jesse Thompson to fill the role of running backs coach.

Moving Marvin Williams from coaching the Brahmas running backs to the offensive line helps Wade Phillips 2025 coaching staff maintain the continuity they expected to have coming into the season. Williams successfully coached the Brahmas running backs as John Lovett and Anthony McFarland took a starring role in the 2024 Brahmas offense. In addition to his success with the Brahmas running backs, Williams already has a wealth of experience working with Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator AJ Smith.

2025 will be Williams’s third consecutive season working with Phillips and Smith. In 2023, Williams served as a Quality Control coach for Smith’s offense with the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL. Heading into 2024, Williams moved to the running back position with the Brahmas. As the Running Backs coach, Williams needed to understand the run-blocking and pass-protection schemes used in Smith’s offensive scheme.

To fill the hole in the staff at the Running Backs coach position, the Brahmas have hired Jesse Thompson. Similar to Williams, Thompson has previous experience working with Phillips and Smith while serving as the Assistant Special Teams coach and Defensive Quality Control coach for the 2023 Houston Roughnecks. Thompson also has experience as a running backs coach while working in The Spring League, a previous alternate professional football league. Recently, Thompson held the positions of Special Teams coach and Director of Football Operations at Idaho State University.

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Aaron Sauter

Aaron Sauter is a 23-veteran high school football coach that is also an fan of all levels of football. He is especially interested in alternative football leagues like the CFL, UFL, and IFL. Aaron enjoys analyzing innovative schemes on offense and defense during his free time.

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