Texas Southern mourns the loss of William “Bill” Thomas

HOUSTON – Former Texas Southern University football coach and athletic director William “Bill” Thomas passed away Friday at the age of 70.
 
The second all-time winningest coach in Texas Southern football history, Thomas coached the Tigers for 10 seasons, taking the reins in 1994. His best season came in 2000, when he guided the Tigers to an 8-3 record; it capped a string of five consecutive winning seasons for TSU.
 
Thomas compiled a 51-57 record as the coach of the Tigers. He also served as the school’s athletic director and Dean of Student Services.
 
“The Texas Southern University community mourns and extends our condolences to Coach Bill Thomas’ family at this time,” TSU Interim Vice President for Athletics Kevin Granger said in a statement. “On behalf of the athletics department, we thank Coach Thomas for the excellent standards he set while here at TSU. He is a Tiger that will be missed.”
 
An alumnus of Tennessee State University, he served as that school’s head coach for five seasons in the 1980s, and also served as its athletic director.
 
Funeral services for Coach Thomas will be held Thursday, Jan. 24, at 10 a.m. at the Windsor Village United Methodist Church.