Jeff Thorne
Playing career
1990–1993Eastern Illinois
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1994–2001Wheaton Warrenville South HS (IL) (OC/QB)
2002–2014North Central (IL) (OC)
2015–2021North Central (IL)
2022Western Michigan (OC/QB)
Head coaching record
Overall66–10
Tournaments12–4 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 NCAA Division III (2019)
4 CCIW (2016–2018, 2021)
Awards
CCIW Coach of the Year (2016)
D3football.com National Coach of the Year (2019)

Jeff Thorne is an American football coach and former player. He was the offensive coordinator at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 2022. Thorne served as the head football coach at North Central College from 2015 to 2021. He succeeded his father, John Thorne, and led the 2019 team to an NCAA Division III national title.[1] Thorne played college football at Eastern Illinois University, starting at quarterback in the early 1990s.[2] His son, Payton, is currently (2023) the starting quarterback at Auburn University.

Playing career

Thorne attended Wheaton Central High School in Wheaton, Illinois where he played under his father, head coach John Thorne. He set the state record for career touchdown passes with 57.[3] He started as a sophomore and threw for over 1,000 yards.[4] His senior season, he led the team to a 5A state semifinal appearance and was named all-state.[5][6] He played in the Illinois High School All-Star game and was named MVP.[3] He also played baseball and was an all-conference selection in basketball.[7][8]

Thorne then enrolled at Eastern Illinois University and was a four year starter. He was selected all-Gateway Conference honorable mention after his junior season in 1992 after throwing for 1944 yards and 10 touchdowns. His senior season he earned 2nd team all-conference honors. He holds the school record for most interceptions thrown in a game with seven in a 7-49 loss to McNeese State. He ranks in the top ten in school history in season pass efficiency, touchdown passes, and interceptions. Thorne ranks fourth in career total offense, passing yardage, passing attempts, and completions categories behind Jimmy Garoppolo, Sean Payton, and Tony Romo.[9]

Coaching career

Assistant coaching

After graduation, Thorne became an assistant coach at his former high school under his father coaching during three state championship seasons. Thorne became offensive coordinator for Division III North Central College in 2002, the same year his father became head coach. He was a finalist for coordinator of the year in 2013 after his offense average over 45 points per game on route to a National Championship appearance.[5][10]

North Central

After his father's retirement, Thorne was named head coach for the 2015 season. After the 2016 season, Thorne was named College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin coach of the year and AFCA Region Coach of the Year.[5] He was named D3football.com Coach of the Year after his 2019 National Championship.[5] Thorne coached the 2019 Gagliardi Trophy winner Broc Rutter.[11]

Western Michigan

On February 1, 2022, Thorne was named the offensive coordinator for Western Michigan under head coach Tim Lester.[11] Under Thorne, the offense averaged 301.9 yards per game during the 2022 season, last in the MAC. Western Michigan finished the year 5-7, including 4-4 in conference, good for third place in the MAC West. Thorne, along with most of the coaching staff, was let go when Lester was fired on November 28.[12]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs AFCA# D3°
North Central Cardinals (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) (2015–2021)
2015 North Central 7–36–12nd
2016 North Central 11–18–01stL NCAA Division III Second Round10
2017 North Central 10–27–1T–1stL NCAA Division III Second Round8
2018 North Central 10–28–1T–1stL NCAA Division III Second Round8
2019 North Central 14–18–12ndW NCAA Division III Championship1
2020–21 No team
2021 North Central 14–19–01stL NCAA Division III Championship22
North Central: 66–1046–4
Total:66–10
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. ↑ "Jeff Thorne". North Central Cardinals football. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  2. ↑ Minnis, Glenn (September 20, 1992). "QB Has Learned To Pass on Pressure". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "EIU recruit gets award, Keller gets some catches". Journal Gazette. 1990-07-30. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  4. ↑ "Father, son are living a football dream". Chicago Tribune. 1989-09-08. p. 63. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Jeff Thorne - Football Coach". North Central College Athletics. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  6. ↑ "Records & History". www.ihsa.org. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  7. ↑ "No. 1 Carmel clobbers Zion-Benton". Chicago Tribune. 1990-04-10. p. 44. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  8. ↑ "Basketball". Chicago Tribune. 1990-03-23. p. 55. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  9. ↑ "EIU Football Online Guide 2019" (PDF). 2019.
  10. ↑ "2013 North Central Football Schedule - CCIW". cciw.org. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  11. 1 2 "WMU football names Jeff Thorne, father of Michigan State QB, new offensive coordinator". mlive. 2022-01-31. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  12. ↑ "Western Michigan fires coach Tim Lester after 5-7 season". ESPN. 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
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