NAU Football Blog

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).

Meanwhile, Thompson starred at Walla Walla High School, where he also was a quarterback. Thompson set school records for touchdown passes in a season (26) and touchdown passes in a game (6) — records that had previously been held by former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Thompson also played free safety. He set a school record for tackles in a game with 26. Thompson went on to play for the University of Montana, where he ended up playing linebacker.

Lindgren and Thompson lived far a part during college, but they still kept in touch. In fact, they met on the field each fall when Idaho and Montana faced each other. The Grizzlies got the best of the Vandals in all of those meetings, but that didn’t change their friendship. Thompson would visit Moscow in the offseason and Lindgren came to Missoula as well.

In 2006, Lindgren joined the NAU staff as a graduate assistant after being at University of Redlands. Thompson had come to NAU as a GA the year before. The two picked up right where they left off in college. And even though they  get competitive in practice when the offense goes against the defense, Thompson and Lindgren have a mutual respect for each other.

“He relates well with the players and he gets a lot out of his guys,” Lindgren said. “It’s been an awesome experience these last four years to get to coach with someone I’ve known for that long.”

“Brian has really good attention to detail and he knows the passing game really well,” Thompson said. “It was a great opportunity for him to come down and be a part of the staff. And the best thing is that his wife, Bradee, is really good friends with Mikal, my wife.”

Both coordinators are young. Both are 29. The future looks bright for both of them. But no matter where they end up in the wild world of coaching, it’s assured they will remain friends for life.