Thomas Rocco

Thomas Rocco

Thomas Rocco is in his first season on the Sam Houston coaching staff and oversees the Bearkat cornerbacks.

Rocco joins the Kats after completing his third season as the head coach at Tyler Junior College where he led the Apaches to 14-15 record overall. In the fall of 2021, Rocco led the Apaches to a runner-up finish in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference. TJC finished 7-5 and won the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl against Coffeyville Community College (Kansas).

Prior to being promoted to head coach in January of 2019, Rocco served as defensive coordinator under head coach Danny Palmer.

Rocco joined the TJC staff in January of 2017 after spending two seasons as the defensive coordinator at West Texas A&M. Prior to West Texas A&M, he spent five years at Blinn College along with stints at New Mexico Highlands, Fort Lewis College and Midwestern State.

Rocco earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Fort Lewis College in 2003 where he was a team captain and the starting cornerback for the Skyhawks before a career ending injury that lead him into coaching. He also earned a masters of science in kinesiology from Midwestern State in 2010.