HOME OF BULLDOG FOOTBALL - 28 SCIAC Championships, including 10 since 1990

It was announced by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) that University of Redlands Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Jeff Thomas was named the 2009 Division III Assistant Coach of the Year.

Following a successful playing career at Redlands, Thomas began his coaching stint in 2003 and later stepped in as the offensive coordinator in late 2006. Under his direction, the Bulldogs broke the school record for total offense in a single game with 677 yards on Nov. 3, 2007. That season, the Maroon and Gray won its 28th conference championship. In addition, Thomas has guided the team to various other top-10 records at Redlands.

Off the field, Thomas serves as the community service director for the Bulldog football program. Since his arrival, the team has donated more than 500 blankets and three pick-up loads of top ramen soup to the San Bernardino Mission. He also led two team trips to New Orleans to help with the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and coordinated a seven-day building effort for Habitat for Humanity. Most recently, he organized a project that entailed planting more than 4,000 trees in four days throughout the San Bernardino National Forest.

Thomas was nominated by Head Coach Mike Maynard and selected by the AFCA Public Relations Committee.

“It has been said that people do what people see and Coach Thomas is a positive role model for our players. They see in him the qualities of what makes men great: a positive attitude, personal integrity, responsibility, exceptional mental ability, and the desire to keep learning,” Maynard commented. “Coach Thomas also has an incredible ability for getting things done – and done well. I am delighted that he has been recognized by the American Football Coaches Association for his successes both on and off the field. This is an award he richly deserves.”

First presented in 1997, the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year Award was created to honor assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field coaching success, and AFCA professional organization involvement.

Winners of this award will receive a plaque and an educational stipend to attend the 2011 AFCA Convention or another professional development clinic/convention of their choice. They will be honored at the AFCA Kickoff Luncheon on Monday, January 11, at the 2010 AFCA Convention in Orlando, FL.

In addition to Thomas, Buck Buchanan of Louisiana College and Chris Rusiewicz of Ursinus College were finalists for the Division III award.

For a complete list of the recipients, please log onto www.afca.com.