Jake Thomas is in his second year of coaching at his alma mater in 2017, serving as an offensive assistant for Azusa Pacific after wrapping up his playing career in 2015. A former offensive lineman who played for the Cougars’ NFL Hall of Fame offensive line coach Jackie Slater, Thomas now assists his former position coach to prepare the offensive line.
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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.
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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.
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Thomas graduated from Azusa Pacific in 2015, 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 Covina.
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