GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida head football coach Billy Napier announced Wednesday that Edward Thompson will serve as an assistant on the Gators strength and conditioning staff.
 
A native of Houston, he joins the Gators after spending the 2021 season as the head assistant strength coach and director of speed development at Louisiana.   
 
Thompson, who was a defensive back with the Ragin’ Cajuns from 2014-16, started his strength coaching career at Louisiana in 2017 as an intern. His resume includes stops at Houston, Georgia Tech, Austin Peay State, LSU and the New York Giants.
 
Thompson is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and is a certified coach by USA Weightlifting, the national governing body for weightlifting in the United States. He is also certified as a speed specialist by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).