Tavita Thompson - Football Coach - Central Michigan University Athletics

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

Tavita Thompson

Title:
Passing Game Coordinator/Tight Ends
E-Mail Address:
thomp4t@cmich.edu
Phone:
(989) 774-3896
Year at CMU:
7th year at CMU
Hometown:
Honolulu, Hawaii
Alma Mater/Year:
Oregon State/2008
Experience:
13th year

Tavita Thompson is in his seventh season as an assistant coach with the Central Michigan football program.

He now serves as CMU's run game coordinator/offensive line coach after working as the pass game coordinator/tight ends coach in 2022. From 2019-21, Thompson was CMU's tackles/tight ends coach and was the tight ends coach during the 2018 season, his first with the program.

In his first year as Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach, two offensive lineman earned Second Team All-MAC honors including guard Deiyantei Powell-Woods and tackle Brayden Swartout. Led by Powell-Woods and Swartout, Thompson’s offensive line allowed just 26 sacks on the season.

In 2022, Thompson coached tight end Joel Wilson, who earned All-MAC honors as a junior. In 2020, Thompson mentored first-year tackle Bernhard Raimann, a converted tight end who went on to earn All-MAC honors from both Phil Steele and from Pro Football Focus in his first season as an interior lineman. In 2019, Thompson coached junior tight end Tony Poljan, a Second Team All-Mid-American Conference selection who made 33 receptions for 496 yards and four touchdowns as he established himself as one of the best at his position in the MAC.

In leading the tackles and tight ends, Thompson played an integral role in a vastly improved Chippewa offense that produced a MAC-best 6,070 total yards in 2019, nearly doubling the output of the 2018 Chippewas.

Prior to his arrival at CMU, Thompson spent three seasons as a graduate assistant coach with Nebraska, where he worked with tight ends Cethan Carter and Tyler Hoppes. Carter has played in the National Football League for several years, Hoppes made 34 receptions, a Nebraska program record for a tight end.

Thompson was a graduate assistant at Oregon State from 2012-14, working with the tight ends and the offensive line. He was a defensive line coach for Pacific in 2011-12.

Thompson played offensive line at Oregon State from 2004-08, helping the Beavers to four consecutive bowl victories over that span. He saw action in 18 games over his career. Thompson appeared in two preseason games for the New York Jets in 2009 and spent the 2010 season in the United Football League with the Sacramento Mountain Lions.

A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Thompson graduated from Oregon State in 2008 with a degree in human development and family studies. He earned a master's from Nebraska in 2016.

Thompson and his wife, Lindsay, have three children, Brycen, Tausani, and Tycen.

THE THOMPSON FILE

Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii.

Family
Wife Lindsay, children Brycen, Tausani, and Tycen

Education
Bachelor of Science, Human Development and Family Studies, Oregon State University, 2008
Master of Science, University of Nebraska, 2016

Coaching Career
Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach, Central Michigan University, 2023-current
Pass Game Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach/Tackles, Central Michigan University, 2022
Tight Ends Coach/Tackles, Central Michigan University, 2019-21
Tight Ends Coach, Central Michigan University, 2018
Graduate Assistant Coach, University of Nebraska, 2015-17
Graduate Assistant Coach, Oregon State University, 2012-14
Defensive Line Coach, Pacific University, 2011-12

Playing Career
Played on the offensive line at Oregon State (2004-08) … Played in 18 games at left tackle … Led the Beavers to four consecutive bowl games during that span: Insight (2004), Sun (2006), Emerald (2007), and Sun (2008).