Cedric Thornton’s Unexpected Rise: What His Promotion Means for Tennessee State’s Future Defense

When Tennessee State’s Reggie Barlow starts shaking up his coaching staff, you better pay attention—it’s rarely just business as usual. After snagging Matt Leone from North Carolina Central to take the offensive coordinator reins, Barlow’s now tapped Cedric Thornton as the new defensive coordinator. But here’s the kicker: can Thornton channel the defensive wizardry he once wielded at Alcorn State, where he turned a squad into one of the FCS’s fiercest units, into a middle-of-the-pack Tennessee State defense? Last season, the Tigers showed some grit in pass defense but left a few yards—and questions—on the ground. So, is this promotion the magic elixir to tighten things up or just another notch in the coaching carousel? Either way, the chess game on the gridiron just got a fresh face worth watching closely. LEARN MORE.

Tennessee State head coach Reggie Barlow has made another important shakeup to his coaching staff. After hiring Matt Leone from North Carolina Central to serve as offensive coordinator, Barlow has promoted Cedric Thornton to defensive coordinator for the Tigers.

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Thornton previously joined the team last season during Barlow’s first year with Tennessee State as an associate head coach and linebackers coach. He now gets the nod as DC for Tennessee State, putting him back in a position where he has established a lot of experience throughout the past decade. Thornton saw immense success at Alcorn State in the late 2010s under head coach Fred McNair during his time with the Braves.

He led the defense to be one of the best in the FCS and ultimately helped them win the SWAC and advance to the Celebration Bowl, where they were defeated by North Carolina A&T. He’s also had stops at Alabama State, his alma mater, and Grambling State under former head coach Hue Jackson.

Tennessee State was middle of the pack defensively in the OVC last season. They ranked fourth in scoring defense, allowing 20.6 points per game. While they topped the conference in passing defense—allowing 171.6 yards per game and only 13 touchdowns—they were second to last in the OVC in rushing defense at 168.2 yards per game. By contrast, Tennessee Tech finished the season holding opponents to 84.1 rushing yards per game.

Perhaps Thornton can call upon the magic that his 2018 Alcorn State defense showcased, as they held teams to 89.7 yards per game and only 13 total touchdowns the entire season.

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