David Thornton enters his second year as head football coach of the Jones County Junior College Bobcats.
Thornton guided the Bobcats to a 5-4 record in 2014. JCJC was ranked as high as No. 6 in the country by the NJCAA early in the season.
Thornton was officially named head coach on January 15, 2014. He replaced Ray Perkins who resigned in December of 2013 after two seasons as head coach.
Thornton had served the previous two seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats’ offense has been quite prolific under Thornton’s guidance.
In 2013, the JCJC offense averaged 40.6 points per game. The Bobcats passed for 327.5 yard per game, which was second in the MACJC and fourth in the MACJC. They rushed for 135.5 yards per game and averaged 463.0 yards per game, which was second in the MACJC and eighth in the NJCAA.
In 2012, the Bobcats averaged 32.8 points per game and 412.0 yards per game in Thornton’s first year as offensive coordinator.
Last year, JCJC averaged 22.8 points and 357.1 yards per game.
The Bobcats have posted a 20-9 record, including an MACJC South Division championship and a state championship game appearance in 2013, in Thornton's three years with the team.
Thornton came to JCJC after serving as offensive coordinator at Southwest Mississippi for the previous four years. He is a native of Vernon, Alabama, and a 1990 graduate of Lamar County High School.
After high school, Thornton attended the University of the South (1990-92) in Sewanee, Tennessee, where he played quarterback for the Tigers. He finished his college career at the University of Alabama-Birmingham (1992-95) where he was a running back for the Blazers. He received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from UAB in 1995 and a master’s in 1998.
Thornton served UAB as a student assistant and graduate assistant from 1994-98. He coached the offensive line, tight ends and running backs during that time.
He served as offensive coordinator at Middle Georgia Junior College from 1998-2000. The Warriors were 27-8, won two NJCAA bowl games and had two top five national rankings during those three seasons.
He served as offensive coordinator at the University of West Alabama from 2001-04. At UWA, he coached two Harlon Hill South Regional finalists, three All-Americans, four All-South selections and four All-Gulf South Conference players.
While Thornton was at UWA, the Tigers rewrote numerous school rushing, passing and receiving marks. Their offense ranked fourth nationally in 2002 and 12th in 2003. UWA finished with around 4,100 yards of total offense during those two years.
Thornton became offensive coordinator at Northwest Mississippi from 2005-07 before going to Southwest.
He and his wife, Tonya, have three children, Andrew, Carson and Lizzie.
