Football

Hayden Thomas recently concluded his seventh season as an assistant coach with the Wilmington College football program in 2023. After the 2019 season, Thomas was promoted to offensive coordinator while retaining his role as quarterbacks coach.

The 2023 season brought along a 3-7 record for the Quakers, with Thomas coaching alongside Quakers head coach Corey Fillipovich. Thomas helped guide senior quarterback Derek Larimer to the program record for single-season touchdown passes with 36, including a single-game program record nine at Muskingum University on November 4, 2023. This performance tied the OAC record for single-game touchdown passes. The Quakers had six offensive players named to the All-OAC team including a First Team nod for wide receiver Lathan Jones. Larimer, running back Nehemiah Jenkins, and wide receiver Saa'lih Muhammed were all named to the second team. Left tackle Steven Salyer and H-Back Kaleb Easley were honorable mentions. The Quakers were third in the OAC in yards per game (407.6), total offense (4,076 yards), passing yards (2,518 yards), passing yards per game (251.8), first downs (219), and total touchdowns (46). They were second in the conference in passing touchdowns with 36. 

During the 2022 season, he, alongside Head Coach Corey Fillipovich, guided the Quakers to a 3-1 start to the season with victories coming over Southern Virginia University, Capital University and Otterbein University. The only loss was a 13-12 defeat to Baldwin Wallace University, which went on to finish the season with a 7-3 record. The start marked WC's best since 2000, its first year in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Five individuals earned postseason awards including Itika Wynn Jr., Ace Taylor and Brandon Lemley garnering Second Team All-OAC recognition. Additionally, eight players were named Academic All-District from College Sports Communicators.

During the 2021 campaign, Thomas aided Acting Head Coach Corey Fillipovich to two wins to end the season including a 24-21 win over Capital University on Senior Day and a 37-33 triumph in the season finale at Otterbein University. A pair of wide receivers, Itika Wynn Jr. and Ace Taylor, earned All-OAC honors in Thomas's offense with Second Team and Honorable Mention honors respectively.

In the spring of 2021, Thomas's first year calling the offensive plays, the Quakers finished with a 2-3 record in a unique five-game season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wilmington's offense averaged 379 yards per game including over 280 through the air. Under Thomas's direction, the offensive unit was third-best in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) in plays per game (92) and first downs per game (23). In both victories, Wilmington was trailing late in the fourth quarter and drove 90-plus yards for the game-winning touchdown. Itika Wynn Jr., Caleb Deaver and Ace Taylor garnered All-OAC honors.

In 2019, Thomas coached quarterback Kyle Barrett to nearly 2,500 passing yards to mark the fifth-highest total for passing yards in a single season in program history. Barrett was one named the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Offensive Player of the Week following Wilmington's Homecoming victory over Ohio Northern University. Additionally, the Quakers finished the 2019 season with a 3-7 record, the program's most wins in a decade. Thomas helped mentor DJ Chambers to Second Team All-OAC honors in 2018 as well as aiding then-Head Coach Bryan Moore in ending Wilmington’s 40-game OAC losing streak with a 37-30 overtime win against Capital University in 2017.

Thomas, the nephew of former Ball State University, University of Michigan, and San Diego State University Head Coach Brady Hoke, graduated from Bluffton University in 2017 with a degree in sport management and a minor in coaching. He played for Moore as a Beaver.

He resides in Wilmington.

*Last updated - December 5, 2023*