The North Central College football family is mourning the loss of former head coach Jeff Thorne, who passed away on December 9th after a battle with stomach cancer. Thorne was the 25th head coach in school history, leading the Cardinal program from 2015-2021, culminating in the team’s first Division III National Championship in 2019 .

A lasting legacy for Jeff Thorne on and off the field

After a standout prep career at Wheaton Central and Eastern Illinois University, Thorne joined the NCC coaching staff as offensive coordinator in 2002 when his father, John Thorne, was hired as the new head coach. With the two working together, North Central experienced unprecedented success, qualifying for the NCAA tournament nine times.

As he took the reins from his father in 2015, Jeff was proud to

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