Mountain Brook Football Coach Mike Thorsen of Birmingham, Alabama has sadly passed away. He died on Tuesday 25th June 2024 surrounded by his beloved family. He was announced dead on Wednesday through a Facebook that reads “We are heartbroken in the death of longtime Mountain Brook football coach Mike Thorsen. He passed away peacefully on Tuesday with his family by his side.”
Mike Thorsen Career
Mike Thorsen, who spent 25 years as a Spartan assistant coach, passed away Tuesday night, as announced by the school on social media. The former Marine retired this spring, capping a remarkable 51-year coaching career. His coaching journey included a period at Hoover before he joined the Mountain Brook staff. Notably, he served as the Bucs’ head coach for the 1994 season, following the death of longtime coach Bob Finley.
Although Thorsen had only been at Berry for a year, he brought with him a wealth of experience from previous roles, including a stint as a defensive coordinator at neighboring Homewood High School and various positions in places like Pensacola, Florida. His appointment came highly recommended by Coach Gerald Gann, a former Berry assistant to Finley and coach at Homewood since 1979. Despite his relatively short tenure at Berry, Thorsen had a unique talent for bringing out the best in his players.
Known for his sometimes animated demeanor, he possessed a brilliant defensive football mind, capable of analyzing and anticipating opposing offenses with exceptional insight. The 1994 season, which had only nine games scheduled, saw Thorsen maintain his characteristically loud personality. The Bucs started the season with five consecutive losses. Under pressure from administration, Thorsen altered his approach, adopting an unusually quiet demeanor. This shift seemed to work wonders, as the Bucs went on to win the remaining four games, including an upset victory over the then top-ranked Robert E. Montgomery in a game at The Met.
