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”’Jeff Thorne”’ ( |
”’Jeff Thorne”’ (1972 – December 9, 2025) was an American [[college football]] coach and 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 (American football)|John Thorne]], and led the [[2019 North Central Cardinals football team|2019 team]] to an [[2019 Stagg Bowl|NCAA Division III national title]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://northcentralcardinals.com/coaches.aspx?rc=2276|title=Jeff Thorne|publisher=[[North Central Cardinals football]]|access-date=December 30, 2018}}</ref> Thorne played [[college football]] at [[Eastern Illinois University]], starting at [[quarterback]] in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Minnis |first=Glenn |title= QB Has Learned To Pass on Pressure |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-09-20-9203250936-story.html |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |location=[[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]] |date=September 20, 1992 |access-date=December 30, 2018 }}</ref> His son, [[Payton Thorne|Payton]], is currently a quarterback for the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] as of [[ Cincinnati Bengals|2025]].<ref>{{Cite web | title=Auburn names Payton Thorne starting QB: Michigan State transfer to run Hugh Freeze’s offense – CBSSports.com | url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/auburn-names-payton-thorne-starting-qb-michigan-state-transfer-to-run-hugh-freezes-offense/amp/ | access-date=2025-08-18 | website=www.cbssports.com}}</ref> |
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==Playing career== |
==Playing career== |
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==Death== |
==Death== |
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Thorne died on December 9, 2025, at the age of |
Thorne died on December 9, 2025, at the age of , after a battle with stomach cancer, according to North Central College.<ref>{{Cite web |title=North Central Mourns Loss of Former Football Coach Jeff Thorne |url=https://northcentralcardinals.com/news/2025/12/10/north-central-mourns-loss-of-former-football-coach-jeff-thorne.aspx |access-date=2025-12-10 |website=www.northcentralcardinals.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/20251210/college-sports/north-central-hall-of-famer-naperville-resident-jeff-thorne-dies-after-bout-with-cancer/ |title=North Central Hall of Famer, Naperville resident Jeff Thorne dies after bout with cancer |first=Dave |last=Oberhelman |date=December 10, 2025 |work=[[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois)| Daily Herald]] |access-date=December 10, 2025}}</ref> |
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==Head coaching record== |
==Head coaching record== |
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Revision as of 12:41, 14 December 2025
American football player and coach (1972–2025)
Jeff Thorne (1972 – December 9, 2025) was an American college football coach and 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 a quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals as of 2025.[3]
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.[4] He started as a sophomore and threw for over 1,000 yards.[5] His senior season, he led the team to a 5A state semifinal appearance and was named all-state.[6][7] He played in the Illinois High School All-Star game and was named MVP.[4] He also played baseball and was an all-conference selection in basketball.[8][9]
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.[10]
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.[6][11]
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.[6] He was named D3football.com Coach of the Year after his 2019 National Championship.[6] Thorne coached the 2019 Gagliardi Trophy winner Broc Rutter.[12]
Western Michigan
On February 1, 2022, Thorne was named the offensive coordinator for Western Michigan under head coach Tim Lester.[12] 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.[13]
Death
Thorne died on December 9, 2025, at the age of 53, after a battle with stomach cancer, according to North Central College.[14][15]
Head coaching record
References
- ^ “Jeff Thorne”. North Central Cardinals football. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- ^ Minnis, Glenn (September 20, 1992). “QB Has Learned To Pass on Pressure”. Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- ^ “Auburn names Payton Thorne starting QB: Michigan State transfer to run Hugh Freeze’s offense – CBSSports.com”. www.cbssports.com. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
- ^ a b “EIU recruit gets award, Keller gets some catches”. Journal Gazette. July 30, 1990. p. 11. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ “Father, son are living a football dream”. Chicago Tribune. September 8, 1989. p. 63. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d “Jeff Thorne – Football Coach”. North Central College Athletics. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ “Records & History”. www.ihsa.org. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ “No. 1 Carmel clobbers Zion-Benton”. Chicago Tribune. April 10, 1990. p. 44. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ “Basketball”. Chicago Tribune. March 23, 1990. p. 55. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ “EIU Football Online Guide 2019” (PDF). 2019.
- ^ “2013 North Central Football Schedule – CCIW”. cciw.org. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ a b “WMU football names Jeff Thorne, father of Michigan State QB, new offensive coordinator”. mlive. January 31, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ “Western Michigan fires coach Tim Lester after 5-7 season”. ESPN. November 28, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ “North Central Mourns Loss of Former Football Coach Jeff Thorne”. www.northcentralcardinals.com. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ Oberhelman, Dave (December 10, 2025). “North Central Hall of Famer, Naperville resident Jeff Thorne dies after bout with cancer”. Daily Herald. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
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