 During Thompson's playing years, the team compiled a 26–6 record.Thompson graduated from the university in 1905 and continued on with post-graduate work in the School of Law completing his law degree.However, Thompson had long desired the head coaching position and finally obtained the job in 1909, after successful coach John A. Moorehead, who helped facilitate the first known use of numbers on the uniforms of football players in 1908, left coaching to pursue his family's business interests.