Earnest Thomas III

Biography

Earnest Thomas III joined the Auburn Football staff in January 2026. He is an assistant cornerbacks coach for the Tigers. Prior to coming to Auburn, he spent five years (2021-25) at Tennessee as a defensive assistant working closely with the team’s secondary. He was instrumental in the development of Jermod McCoy, a 2024 All-American, and Colton Hood, a 2025 All-SEC performer. He originally joined the Tennessee staff in 2021 as a graduate assistant before being elevated to assistant secondary coach. Thomas also spent time as a defensive graduate assistant at UMass from 2019-20. He also spent time coaching high school football St. Mary’s Preparatory in Orchard Lake, Michigan. A native of Southfield, Michigan, Thomas was a standout defensive back at Illinois from 2010-14. He earned a degree from Illinois in 2014.