Welcome back, Jason Thoren.

One of the most honored players in Lawrence High’s storied football history and a pretty good linebacker at Kansas University as well, Thoren has resurfaced.

After working as a graduate assistant on Glen Mason’s staff at Minnesota University for three years, Thoren now is defensive-line coach at Baker University in Baldwin.

“It was an easy decision,” BU coach Mike Grossner said about Thoren’s hiring. “He made a commitment to come home, and we got a steal.”

After completing work on his graduate degree at Minnesota, Thoren began looking for a full-time job.

“I was at a clinic and ran into a guy wearing a Baker shirt,” Thoren said. “I started talking with him and he said they were looking.”

Soon thereafter, Thoren wrote a letter to Grossner.

“Then I called him and he said, ‘You’re hired.’ Now I’m coaching about 10 miles from where I grew up,” he said.

Grossner acted quickly based on Thoren’s sincerity.

“Just speaking with him, I knew he wanted to come home,” the BU coach said.

At Lawrence High, Thoren was a member of the 1992 and 1993 Class 6A state championship teams. In ’93 he earned the Simone Award that goes to the most outstanding prep player in the Kansas City metro area.

Then Thoren went to KU, where he started at linebacker (1994-97) for the Mason-coach Jayhawks. Thoren earned All-Big Eight second team honors in 1995 and third-team in 1996.

Between graduation from KU and going to Minnesota, Thoren worked as an intern for the Kansas City Chiefs, spent a season with the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe and was an assistant coach at Free State High.

Even though he is back in Douglas County, Thoren says he misses the Gopher State.

“I love Minnesota. It’s a neat state,” he said. “I’m going up there for a camp next week, and I can’t wait.”