Auburn, Hugh Freeze make the Jake Thornton hire official

Release via Auburn Athletics

AUBURN — Jake Thornton has been named the offensive line coach at Auburn, head coach Hugh Freeze announced Thursday. Thornton comes to Auburn after two years in the same capacity at Ole Miss where he helped the Rebels rank in the top 10 nationally in total offense each year.

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“Jake Thornton is a rising star in our profession and has established himself as one of the best young offensive line coaches in the country,” Freeze said. “He helped lead one of the top offenses in the Southeastern Conference over the last two seasons and is a great addition to the Auburn program. He will be a difference maker for our offense.”

The Rebels ranked in the top 10 in the country in total offense in each of Thornton’s two seasons in Oxford, leading the Southeastern Conference in the category (492.5) in 2021 before pacing the league and ranking third in the country in rushing offense (261.6) in 2022.

This season, the Rebels offensive line paved the way for 3,139 total rushing yards, led by SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC honoree Quinshon Judkins, who led the league and set Ole Miss single-season records in both rushing yards (1,476) and rushing touchdowns (16).

“I’m very honored and excited to join Coach Freeze’s staff at Auburn,” Thornton said. “Coach Freeze is one of the best offensive minds in college football and I look forward to working with him to help compete for championships at Auburn. Auburn is known for its blue-collar, hard work mentality and our offensive line will possess that mentality. It’s time to go to work!”

In two years at Ole Miss, Thornton mentored a pair of All-SEC offensive linemen and helped another achieve his goals of making a National Football League roster.

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, Jake 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 a 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.

Jake 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.