Jake Thornton - Football Coach - Ole Miss Athletics

Arkansas

Sep 13 (Sat)

6:00 PM

Jake Thornton

Title:
Assistant Coach/Offensive Line
Year at Ole Miss:
Second
E-mail:
rebelfootball@olemiss.edu
Phone:
662-915-7890
Alma Mater:
Western Carolina (2015)

Jake Thornton enters his second year as offensive line coach at Ole Miss.

In his first season, Thornton’s offensive line helped the Rebels lead the SEC in total offense at 492.5 yards per game. Anchoring that offensive line was eventual NFL signee Ben Brown, stalwarts like center Orlando Umana, tackle Nick Broeker, as well as Freshman All-SEC honoree Eli Acker.

Thornton came to Ole Miss after spending the 2020 season as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Gardner-Webb.

Thornton joined the Gardner-Webb staff after two seasons in the same role at FCS Tennessee Tech. There, he helped the Golden Eagles to one of the top turnarounds in the subdivision nationally in 2019.

Thornton’s offensive line cleared a path for 4,501 offensive yards in 2019 and protected one of the OVC’s most productive quarterbacks in Bailey Fisher. Guard Trevor Stephens earned Freshman All-America honors from Phil Steele following a season that saw him start 11 games. Sophomore guard Mike Rhoades was a Second Team All-OVC choice following the season.

The offensive yardage produced by the Golden Eagles in 2019 marked the second-highest total in program history for a single season.

Thornton’s line helped Fisher earn 2018 OVC Freshman of the Year honors at quarterback and a spot on the 2018 Jerry Rice Award Watch List as a finalist.

Prior to joining the staff at Tennessee Tech, Thornton served as an offensive line graduate assistant on the 2017 National Championship staff at Alabama. That offensive line featured future NFL Draft picks Jonah Williams (1st round, 2019) and Ross Pierschbacher (5th round, 2019) as well as Second Team All-SEC selection Bradley Bozeman (2017).

The Crimson Tide defeated five top-20 teams en route to a 13-1 record and 17th national title.

Thornton started his coaching career in 2016 as offensive quality control coach and assistant offensive line coach at his alma mater, Western Carolina. That season the Catamounts produced 4,252 yards of total offense and saw quarterback Tyrie Adams earn SoCon Freshman of the Year honors.

After beginning his college playing career at Division II national stalwart Carson-Newman, Thornton transferred to Western Carolina in 2012. He began a string of 33 straight starts in 2013 and helped the Catamounts to consecutive seven-win seasons and second-place finishes in the Southern Conference.

Thornton was named First Team All-SoCon in 2014 and Second Team All-SoCon in 2015.

Thornton’s grandfather, Billy Shaw, played guard for the Buffalo Bills and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1999). Shaw also starred at Georgia Tech prior to embarking on his pro career.

Thornton earned a bachelor’s degree in history with a political science minor from Western Carolina in 2015.

COACHING CAREER
Year(s)	School	Position
2021-Pres.	Ole Miss	Offensive Line
2020	Gardner Webb	Run Game Coordinator/OL
2018-19	Tennessee Tech	Run Game Coordinator/OL
2017	Alabama	Graduate Assistant
2016	Western Carolina	Quality Control