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Northwestern State names Laird football coach
(STATS) - Northwestern State promoted Brad Laird to head football coach on Monday, two days after Jay Thomas coached his final game with the Demons.
Laird returned to his alma mater this past season to serve as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator under Thomas, whose contract was not renewed after five seasons.
With the school on Thanksgiving break, he will be introduced at a campus news conference next week.
"We won three of our last four games, played our best football as the season went forward," Laird said. "It's an exciting time for everybody in the Northwestern family to come together to bring this program to the heights we want to make sure to reach, on a year-to-year basis competing for championships on and off the field, academically and athletically."
Laird is in his third coaching stint with the Demons, having previously served as defensive coordinator under Scott Stoker (2003-05) and Bradley Dale Peveto (2009-11).
As a player, he set Northwestern State's career passing record with 6,037 yards from 1991-95.
Under Thomas, the Demons posted a 21-36 record, including 15-27 in the Southland Conference, over the last five seasons.
