Almost every Thursday night this fall NAU defensive coordinator Andy Thompson heads over to NAU offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren’s house. The two coaches, along with their wives, share some dinner, talk some football, and watch The Office.
NAU offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren (back row with tie) and defensive coordinator Andy Thompson (far left, blue T-shirt) in preschool together.
Thompson and Lindgren laugh and joke around as if they’ve known each other all their lives. That’s because they have.
The two coordinators met when they were five years old at the Trinity Lutheran Preschool in 1986. Lindgren had a dark mop of hair (unlike his buzz cut today) and Thompson’s hair was bright blond. The two hit it off and have been friends ever since.
Thompson and Lindgren grew up in Walla Walla, a small town in eastern Washington. It’s not far from the campus of Eastern Washington University, the school that faces Northern Arizona on Saturday. Although they never attended the same school, Thompson and Lindgren competed against one another in soccer, basketball, baseball, golf, and later on, football. Lindgren attended the private school DeSales where he became a star quarterback. Lindgren broke several of Washington state’s passing records, including most passing yards in a season (4,410 yards), career pass completions (779), and career touchdown passes (162). Lindgren still holds the Washington career passing record with 12,575 yards (1996-98).
Lindgren went on to star at the University of Idaho. He set records for passing touchdowns in a single game (6), most yards passing in a single game (637), and most completions in a single game (49). Keep reading →
We want to give a special shout out and thank you to the Jack Pack, which drove eight hours to watch the Lumberjacks in a driving snow storm last weekend. These students were at the stadium two hours before the game when the team buses arrived. The players, coaches, and the entire program thanks you for your dedication and support. We hope to see the Jack Pack out in full force this weekend when NAU faces Eastern Washington in the home finale.
