JEFF THOMAS

Head Coach

Jeff Thomas sets foot into his 13th year as a head coach for Puget Sound Football

The 2021 season, Thomas helped guide Silas Washington ‘22 break the school record for rushing yards (318) as well as leading the Northwest Conference in rushing yards (1,296). Due to COVID-19, the Loggers adapted to the change when their season began in the spring of 2021. This change - and the Loggers' ability to persevere through adversity - was featured in the Washington Post.

In 2019, the Loggers were able to take down Whitworth who were the defending NWC Champions; making it the first win over the Pirates since 1995. They also won against Pacific Lutheran, 45-23, making it the second consecutive win over the Lutes since 1978-1979. The Loggers went undefeated at home, marking it as the first undefeated home season since 1986.

The Loggers set single-season program records for passing touchdowns (40), pass completion (321), passing yards per game (381.1) and total points (350) in the 2018 season. Thomas helped AJ Johnson ‘20 to set a Puget Sound single-season record for receiving yards (1,096). Thomas steered the Loggers to one of their most successful seasons in 2015. The Loggers finished third in the Northwest Conference with a record of 5-2 and finished their season with an overall record of 6-3. During this year, Puget Sound acquired their first home victory against Pacific Lutheran since 1978.

In the 2014 season, Thomas guided the Loggers to four wins, marking the program’s best single-season turnaround since 2004. Thomas was named the football head coach on January 26, 2010. During his first year as the head coach, the Loggers surpassed 23 school records and assembled the sixth-best passing offense in NCAA Division III while reporting a 2-7 record. His first non-conference win was over Pacific in Baker Stadium (36-19) as well as his first win in the conference against Pacific (42-31).

Thomas began his career as a quarterback but soon developed into one of the most enhanced defensive backs in Redlands history as well as being a four-year letter-winner and senior captain. As a student-athlete, he helped the Bulldogs reach the NCAA playoffs in 2002 and earned himself a spot on the US team in the 2002 Aztec Bowl, an annual game pitting Division III football all-stars from the United States against their Mexican counterparts. Thomas graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Government from Redlands and was named CoSIDA Academic All-District as a senior. He then completed his Masters of Arts from the School of Education at the University of Redlands in late 2005.