• 1990 NCC Coach of the Year
• 1991 AFCA Kodak Region IV Coach of the Year
• 1993 AFCA Kodak Region IV Coach of the Year
• 1993 AP North Dakota Male Coach of the Year
• 1994 AFCA Kodak Region IV Coach of the Year
• 1994 AP North Dakota Male Coach of the Year
• 1994 NCC Coach of the Year
• 1995 NCC Coach of the Year
• 1997 FTE AFCA Region IV Coach of the Year

Roger Thomas was born on Aug. 19, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois. He played running back and quarterback at Augustana (Ill.) College, earning his undergraduate degree in physical education and history in 1969. Thomas earned a master's degree from the University of South Dakota in 1972.

Thomas' coaching career began at Augustana (S.D.) College where he served as a part-time assistant coach for the defensive secondary, as well as being head scout. He was also the junior varsity basketball coach at Augustana Academy in Canton, S.D., during the 1969-70 season.

Thomas became a full-time assistant coach at Augustan (S.D.) College and served in that capacity from 1970-76, tutoring the defensive secondary and the offensive backfield. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1976. During his years at Augustana, he also served as recruiting coordinator, head freshman football coach and, for the 1973 season, as head baseball coach.

In 1976, Thomas was named head football coach at Sioux Falls (S.D.) College. He inherited a struggling program and steered it in the right direction before leaving to join the University of North Dakota staff.

Thomas came to Grand Forks in April 1978 as offensive coordinator for head coach Gene Murphy. During Thomas' two seasons in that position (1978-79), North Dakota compiled a 15-7 record and won the 1979 NCC championship.

In January of 1980, when Murphy left North Dakota to become head coach at Cal State-Fullerton, Thomas went with him as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.

Thomas spent three seasons at Fullerton before returning to the Upper Midwest as offensive backfield coach at the University of Minnesota. After one season with the Gophers (1983), Thomas moved on to the Canadian Football League as offensive backfield and receivers coach for the Toronto Argonauts. He spent two years with the Argos before becoming North Dakota's 23rd head coach.