Georgia Force hire Steve Thonn as offensive coordinator

August 4, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


ATLANTA – The Georgia Force announced today they have hired Steve Thonn as the team's new offensive coordinator. Thonn (pronounced TUN) joins the Force coming from the Arena Football League's Dallas Desperados, where he was the team's offensive coordinator for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

Last week, the Force named former Arizona Rattlers defensive coordinator Doug Plank as the team's new head coach and announced that Bob Kronenberg will remain on the Force coaching staff as the club's defensive coordinator.

"I am very happy to be joining the Georgia Force organization and Doug's staff," explained Thonn. "When you look at the resources here, from facilities and staff, and hear the commitment from ownership in building a first-class winning organization, the decision to come to Georgia was an easy one."

Plank added, "Steve's reputation and proven coaching abilities in the AFL are unprecedented. He is one of the top offensive coaches that have ever been in this league and I am proud to have him joining our staff."

On May 24, 2004, Atlanta Falcons owner and CEO Arthur M. Blank and Georgia Force owner and chairman Virgil R. Williams announced they had reached an agreement in principle for the sale of the Georgia Force Arena Football League team to Blank. The transaction is subject to the execution of a definitive purchase agreement and approval by the Arena Football League's board of directors with a scheduled meeting date of August 17th in Las Vegas.

In ten years as an AFL head coach or offensive coordinator, Thonn has guided offenses that have led the league in total offense four times while finishing second once. He has also guided units that have topped league charts in scoring, passing offense, touchdown passes, completion percentage and first downs.

In his first season as the Desperados offensive coordinator in 2003, Thonn guided a unit that led the league in total offense (300.4 yards-per-game), passing offense (292.4) and first downs (362) while finishing fourth in passing touchdowns (97) and fifth in scoring offense (56.9 points-per-game). Last season under Thonn's guidance, the Desperados were the only team in the league to have a trio of receivers that eclipsed the 1,000-receiving yard mark and only one of two trios to each record at least 75 receptions.

Thonn spent the 2002 season coaching high school football in Wheaton, Ill., after serving as the head coach of the Houston ThunderBears from 1998-2001. His final ThunderBears team finished fifth in the league in total offense (280.9 yards-per-game) and 11th in scoring (48.8 points-per-game).

In 2000, Houston led the AFL in total offensive yards (4,393) for the third consecutive season while averaging 50.6 points-per-game. The 1999 ThunderBears led the league in passing offense for the third consecutive season (4,665 yards) while also topping the AFL's total offense chart with 4,756 yards (339.7 per game). Both of these league-leading totals established AFL records. After taking over the head coaching reins on Aug. 5, 1997, Thonn's 1998 squad won the Central Division championship while leading the league in total offense (318.8 yards-per-game), passing offense (307.7), touchdown passes (84) and first downs (268). The ThunderBears finished the year third in the league with a 52.4 points-per-game average.

As Houston's offensive coordinator in 1997, Thonn guided the most improved offense in AFL history, increasing the team's scoring by 22.3 points-per-game while finishing the year first in the league in passing offense (306.1 yards-per-game), second in total offense (316.0) and fourth in scoring (52.4). His system also produced the first 400-yard passing performance in league history as quarterback Dolezel threw for 449 yards at Iowa on July 26, 1997.

Thonn joined the ThunderBears after serving as offensive coordinator for the Milwaukee Mustangs in 1996, helping the Mustangs to a 10-4 record while averaging 50.3 points-per-game. Prior to Milwaukee, he was the Connecticut Coyotes' offensive coordinator (1995). He began his coaching career in 1994 as the wide receiver/special teams coach of the Albany Firebirds, who compiled a 10-2 record and led the league in scoring. Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Thonn spent two seasons with the AFL's Chicago Bruisers (1988-89) and four years with the Albany Firebirds (1990-93) as a wide receiver/defensive back.

During his AFL playing days, Thonn served as an assistant basketball coach at Wheaton College in Illinois.

Thonn played football, basketball and baseball at Wheaton College, where he earned Division III All-America honors as a senior football player. He was a college basketball teammate of current Dallas Mavericks President of Basketball Operations and Assistant Coach Donn Nelson. Steve and wife Pam have a daughter - Jaimee - and a son - Corey.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from August 4, 2004


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