Thornton was recruited by numerous colleges but chose Nebraska over offers from Ohio State and other Big 10 and Mid-American conference schools.
[2] Thornton was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team fullback on the 1961 All-Big Eight Conference football team after his junior season.
However, he still was a Husker co-captain, garnered Honorable Mention All-Big 8 and played in the post-season East-West Shrine All-Star game in San Francisco.
During his three-year stint as a coach with the Huskers, Nebraska won 3 Big 8 Conference titles and two (1970 and 1971) national championships.
[10][11] In March 1972, immediately after the Cornhuskers 1971 National Championship season, Thornton left Nebraska and was hired as the running backs coach for the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals.