Jeff Thorne, a longtime college football coach and father of former Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne, has died.

North Central College announced the sad news , noting he died after a battle with stomach cancer on Tuesday. Thorne served on the Cardinal coaching staff from 2002 to 2021, winning the school’s first Division III national championship in 2019.

In six seasons as head coach, Thorne guided North Central to a 65-10 record, including a 46-4 mark in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) play, and six straight NCAA Division III postseason appearances.

is final season in 2021 culminated in a national championship runner-up finish. North Central has since won titles in 2022 and 2024.

“Jeff was my mentor and friend,” said current coach Brad Spencer in a statement

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