Q&A: new Riverview head football coach Mike Thornton

Posted Jan 20, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 21, 2012 at 12:20 AM

Riverview High’s new football coach Mike Thornton, the son of longtime East Bay head coach Brian Thornton, talks to the Tribune/TBO.com about taking over the Sharks’ football program. Riverview’s football team has struggled in recent seasons, including last year’s winless campaign.

As Cypress Lake’s head football coach, Thornton’s squad went 4-5-1 last fall, improving on its mark of 1-9 from the 2010 campaign. In his first season there, Thornton’s team 4-6.

Q:With all the connections you had in this area, why did you decide to head to Fort Myers for your first head coaching stint?

A: I didn’t have a stellar three years down here (at Cypress Lake) by any means but I think just the opportunity to branch out on my own and to do some things without the security blanket of familiar faces was a necessary step for me. The more I look back on it, waiting in the wings to wait for East Bay to open up maybe wasn’t the best thing for me.”

Q: Do you see yourself putting down the same kind of roots your dad did in 17 seasons as East Bay’s coach?

A:Yea, I’m really looking forward to hopefully establishing myself as a person that’s going to make a long career at Riverview. If we can turn this thing around and get some success going, I think it’s a good chance to lock in for a very long time.”

Q:You didn’t apply for other openings in Hillsborough County. What attracted you to the Riverview job?

A:I just feel very, very fortunate for the opportunity because Riverview has always been a school, being in that area where I’m from, that’s intrigued me. When the job was open there three years ago, the time wasn’t right. So I came down here and now I get a second stab at it. And both me and my wife’s family are from that (Riverview) area—my in-laws live in that area, all of them relocated down there from Chicago—and that was a major attraction of the job. My wife (Jessica) is a volleyball coach here at Cypress Lake but it’s just exciting for us to get back home. (Principal) Bob Heilman was another big reason to want to be at Riverview. One of the intriguing factors of the job was knowing Bob personally and I’m very excited about working for him.

Q:What kind of offenses did your teams run at Cypress Lake?

A:I ran what I would call a multiple formation option offense. It was a little bit a wishbone, a lot of flexbone like Georgia Tech, some of the double wing stuff you’re seeing out of East Bay and from what I’ve heard, some of these new coaches coming in. I want to balance it up as much as I can, too. My favorite quote about the throwing game is that ‘I’m not against throwing, I’m against throwing poorly.’ I want to complete my passes and I want to score. I think the option offense with a throwing quarterback gives you that advantage because our guys are going to be wide open if we throw the football well.