Thornburgh resigns at Oak Lawn

Updated: April 10, 2011 6:40PM

Citing health concerns, Ron Thornburgh has resigned after four seasons as football coach at Oak Lawn.

Thornburgh, 46, who in 2008 led Oak Lawn to a win over Richards for the first time since 1974 and to its first conference title since 1980, announced his decision in a letter to athletic director Will Dwyer.

"I've had some problems with my blood pressure over the past year and a half," Thornburgh said Friday. "I went back to the doctor two weeks ago, and we had a heart to heart about me making some lifestyle changes.

"Unfortunately, I'm not getting any younger. And he knew about the time commitment and stress involved in being a head coach. After we talked, I promised myself that I would take a year off from head coaching and concentrate on my health."

Thornburgh said he is staying on as a physical education

health teacher at Oak Lawn and might seek a return to the coaching staff as an assistant in the future.

"I told Will I'll never say never," Thornburgh said. "I've been involved in football my entire life, either as a player or a coach. When I get to where I need to be (health-wise), then I'll take a look at what I want to do."

Thornburgh coached on the lower levels at Plainfield South, Reed-Custer, Bloomington Central Catholic and was an assistant at Oak Lawn before taking over the program in 2007.

His record in four seasons at Oak Lawn was 15-23. He produced two state playoff teams, as the Spartans were 6-4 in 2008 and 5-5 in '09.

The high point, undoubtedly, was the 2008 campaign, which saw the Spartans rally from 0-3 to win their final six regular-season games. Among the victories was a 20-12 decision over Richards.

"I don't remember a whole lot except I was floating on Cloud 9," Thornburgh said. "From Day 1, when I took over as the head football coach, that was the goal, to beat Richards. We wanted to win a conference championship, but we knew we had to beat Richards to do that.

"The conference championship went through Richards. Everybody knew that. And that second year we had a really good team and were undefeated in conference going into that game. Everything worked out. It was, no doubt about it, the highlight of my four years. I loved it."

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