Sacramento State Football HC Andy Thompson previews the season-opener vs. SJ State

College Football is BACK!

To kick off the new season, Carmichael Dave and Jason Ross welcomed Sacramento State Football head coach Andy Thompson to discuss the Hornets' upcoming season opener against San Jose State. They also delved into how colleges manage the transfer portal and more.

Andy Thompson shared his expectations for a Hornets team that will start the season ranked eighth in the FCS.

Catch the full conversation on YouTube and listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140. [Click here for full episodes.](#)

Meet Sacramento State Football head coach Andy Thompson:

Named Sacramento State's 12th head coach on December 13, 2022, Thompson previously served as the Hornets’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach since January 2019.

In his inaugural season as head coach, Thompson led the Hornets to the second round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs and secured the team's first Division I postseason road victory. His eight wins were the second most by a first-year head coach in program history, highlighted by a notable 30-23 victory at Stanford. Under his leadership, eleven players earned all-Big Sky honors, including first-team selections like linebacker Armon Bailey, safety Cameron Broussard, tight end Marshel Martin IV, and tackle Jackson Slater.

Thompson's defense showed significant improvement, allowing 132 fewer yards per game than the previous year. The Hornets led the Big Sky in defensive pass efficiency and red zone defense and recorded 44 sacks, the second most in program history. Defensive end George Obinna earned FCS All-America honors, setting records for single-season (14.0) and career (33.5) sacks. Defensive tackle Dariyn Choates, cornerback Daron Bland, and Obinna were first-team all-Big Sky selections, while linebackers Marcus Bruce and Marcus Hawkins, safety Caelan Barnes, and defensive tackle Elijah Chambers also earned recognition.

Following that success, Thompson's defense allowed just 19.1 points per game, the lowest in Sacramento State’s Division I era. In conference games, the team restricted opponents to 15.3 points per game and never allowed more than 24 points in any conference match. Six Hornet defenders received all-Big Sky honors, with defensive end Josiah Erickson earning first-team recognition. Erickson led the team with 18.5 tackles-for-loss and 10 sacks, while linebacker Marcus Hawkins, cornerback Munchie Filer III, and nickelback Marte Mapu were named to the second team.