Azusa Pacific University Athletics

Jake Thomas is in his first year back and his third-year overall coaching at his alma mater in 2019. This year he will serve as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. He served as an offensive graduate assistant at the University of Hawaii this past season. At the University of Hawaii, he worked primarily with the offensive line that protected for one of the top passing attacks in FBS in 2018.

Previously, he served as an offensive assistant working primarily with the offensive line at Azusa Pacific during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Prior to his coaching career, he played at Azusa Pacific under head coach Victor Santa Cruz, and offensive line coach Jackie Slater, an NFL Hall of Famer.

Thomas played in 39 games and started 28 times while overcoming numerous injury setbacks in his early playing career, which he began as an eight-game starter as a true freshman in 2010. After missing all of the 2011 season, Thomas returned as an opening-week starter in 2012, but he lost that season with a broken leg in the season opener.

After another year of recovery, Thomas played in seven games in 2013, then started all 11 games of the 2014 campaign as the offensive line helped clear the way ahead of All-American running back Terrell Watson as he rushed for 2,153 yards. He appeared in all 10 games of the 2015 campaign, starting seven times.

Thomas graduated from Azusa Pacific in 2014, majoring in applied health with an emphasis in physical therapy, and he earned GNAC All-Academic honors in 2014. He completed his master’s in leadership with an emphasis in sport management and integrated leadership in the spring of 2017. He currently resides in Monrovia.

Coach Thomas' Recruiting Region