University of Houston Athletics
Thurmond, Fitzpatrick Join Cougar Football Staff
2/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 8, 2006
HOUSTON, Texas - Just one week after announcing the arrival of 31 new faces to the Cougar Program, University of Houston head coach Art Briles added two new members to his coaching staff, as both Chris Thurmond and Tony Fitzpatrick come on board to assist with the Houston defense. Thurmond will coach cornerbacks, while Fitzpatrick will assist the defensive line and coordinate special teams.
Thurmond arrives on the UH campus after spending the last three seasons coaching the cornerbacks at Texas A&M. A veteran of 30 years of coaching, Thurmond helped the Aggies return to postseason play a year ago, when A&M played Tennessee in the 2005 Cotton Bowl.
As for Fitzpatrick, the former Miami Hurricane returns to the coaching ranks after spending the past eight years in the private sector. No stranger to Cougar football, Fitzpatrick spent the last three seasons as a member of the Houston/ISP Sports Radio Network as the color analyst for UH football games. Fitzpatrick also spent 10 years coaching the Cougar defensive line.
Briles is quite pleased he was able to add the experience of Thurmond and Fitzpatrick to his staff.
"Chris is an outstanding addition to our staff," commented Briles. "He has worlds of experience, knowledge and expertise in college football. "He has been coaching for a long time at all different levels, has been at a lot of different places and done a great job. We feel fortunate to get him at this stage of our program.
"Tony's an energetic, can-do person that is going to be a great positive to our program and with our players. I'm expecting him to come in and make a difference in our special teams and assisting with our defensive line, so he is a great addition that is familiar with our program and this University.
"I am very proud to have both Tony and Chris involved with Cougar Football."
Prior to his stint in College Station, Thurmond spent two seasons (2001-02) coaching cornerbacks at the University of Alabama. In 2002, the Alabama defense led the SEC in total defense while finishing third nationally. That season the Crimson Tide also captured the SEC West title and played in the 2001 Independence Bowl.
Thurmond also coached twice at TCU (1995 & 1998-2000) and Tulsa (1983-91 & 1994), as well as Oklahoma (1996-97) and East Carolina (1992-93). He spent seven years coaching in the high school ranks in the state of Oklahoma.
A native of Tulsa, Thurmond graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in education. He and his wife, Paula Ann, have a 23-year-old daughter, Paige.
Fitzpatrick started at Houston as a graduate assistant in 1988 and became a full-time coach in 1990. During his tenure with the Cougars, Fitzpatrick was responsible for tutoring such players as Glenn Montgomery and Alfred Oglesby, both of whom played in the NFL.
Fitzpatrick came to Houston after playing professionally with the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL) in 1984-85 and Ottawa Roughriders of the Canadian Football League in 1986. He also spent the 1987 season as a defensive lineman for the Houston Oilers.
As a collegiate player, Fitzpatrick was a three-year starter at nose tackle for the University of Miami and helped lead the Hurricanes to a 27-7 record during those three years. He was a starter on Miami's 1983 national championship team that upset Nebraska, 31-30, in the Orange Bowl.
Fitzpatrick earned honorable mention All-America honors from the Associated Press as a senior and was named to the All-South Independent Team. He played special teams as a freshman on Miami's 1981 Peach Bowl champion team that defeated Virginia Tech, 20-10.
Fitzpatrick received his bachelor's degree in exercise of physiology from the University of Houston in 1988. He and his wife, Sherri, have three children: Austin, 14; Will, 12; and Sidnee Jo, 10.
---www.UHcougars.com---
Transaction---Announced the hiring of Tony Fitzpatrick and Chris Thurmond as assistant football coaches.
