Jason Thier enters his fourth season as the defensive coordinator at the University of Mary after joining the program in January 2014. While serving as the defensive coordinator, he also works with the team’s linebackers. In his first three seasons, Their (rhymes with fear) has mentored and coached one pre-season NSIC Defensive Player of the Year, two pre-season all-Americans, one AFCA 1st team all-American, and four All-NSIC linebackers. Thier has coached at least one all conference player each of the eight seasons he has been in college coaching.
Before coming to the University of Mary, Thier served as inside linebackers coach at FCS University of North Dakota in 2013, where he coached one All-Big Sky linebacker.
Prior to working at the University of North Dakota, at the age of 24 Thier became the defensive coordinator at NAIA Division I University of Montana Western for two seasons (2011-12), Thier was also responsible for linebackers one season and defensive backs the other. In 2011 the defensive secondary was ranked second in the Frontier Conference and the squad had an all-conference defensive lineman and linebacker. The 2012 squad doubled its win total from the previous season, takeaways increased by 13 and a defensive back earned all-conference recognition.
Thier began his full-time coaching experience at Augustana University, formerly Augustana College, as a graduate assistant. While there he worked one season with defensive backs and a second with linebackers while also serving a year as the video coordinator and kickoff coordinator. In 2009 the Viking finished 8-4 overall to place third in the Northern Sun and earn a spot in the Mineral Water Bowl. Augie followed up with a trip to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals in 2010, posting an 11-2 record and winning a playoff game for the first time in school history. All three of Thier’s linebackers earned All-NSIC honors and one was All-Region.
A team captain his senior year at Truman State University in 2008, Thier earned second team All-MIAA recognition at linebacker after making a team-high 99 tackles. Named to the Commissioners Honor Roll (2005-08) as a student-athlete, Thier earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Truman State University in 2009 and a master’s degree in education from Augustana College in 2011.
