Ben Norton’s move to offensive coordinator and its ensuing success for the Demons fit with the pattern set forth by the veteran assistant coach, who now owns nearly a decade of experience as an offensive coordinator.
In two seasons as the Demons’ primary play caller, Norton has piloted a unit that set six single-season team records, six individual single-game records, five individual career records and eight individual single-season NSU records.
Wide receiver Ed Eagan shattered the single-season mark for receptions (73) and the single-game receiving yardage standard (238). Eagan tied the single-game receptions mark of 13 in November.
Eagan again tied the single-game receptions mark as a senior and left as the school’s all-time leader in receptions (177) and receiving yards (2,228).
Quarterback Zach Adkins set seven single-season and three career records under Norton’s direction. Adkins left as NSU’s all-time leader in passing attempts (765), completions (506) and touchdown passes (49).
As a unit, Norton’s 2014 Demons squad established new school records for total offense (4,948), first downs (274), first downs via pass (140), completions (262), completion percentage (67.2) and passing yards (2,864).
Additionally, Norton remains the offensive line coach, a position he has held since arriving at Northwestern State in 2013.
He mentored tackle Pace Murphy, helping him earn all-conference honors and parlaying that success into a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Rams. Murphy was the fifth all-conference offensive lineman produced by Norton in the past three seasons.
Stressing academic achievement, Norton’s offensive line unit posted a position group 3.08 GPA during the 2015-16 academic year.
Aside from devising the Demons’ record-setting offense, Norton’s 21-year coaching career has been marked by championship success at three other Southland Conference institutions.
Norton helped Sam Houston State, McNeese and Texas State capture Southland Conference championships and make FCS playoff appearances while on staff, serving as co-offensive coordinator at McNeese in 2005-06 and at Texas State from 2007-10. Before arriving at Northwestern, Norton developed eight All-America offensive linemen and 27 all-conference players, while winning six championships with seven teams that finished in the FCS Top 25 and reached postseason play.
His impact was immediate in 2013, his first season with the Demons. The offensive line’s performance helped the Demons reverse a decade-long penalty plague as NSU finished first in the conference in fewest flags drawn in Southland play.
NSU’s offense set seven single-season passing records by Adkins. Senior Warren Jones won All-Southland second-team honors while making the move from center to guard in midseason, allowing Ole Miss transfer Austin Douglas to take over the pivot position, his best fit.
Norton helped senior tackle Tchissakid “T-dre” Player develop into a prospect who played in the FCS Senior Scout Bowl all-star game, then was the 12th player chosen in the Canadian Football League draft. Player became an immediate starter for the British Columbia Lions.
The progress of young offensive linemen, along with newcomer Douglas who joined the team in early August, was apparent under Norton’s stewardship. Norton also had significant involvement in the game planning and game management of the Demons offense, collaborating with 2013 OC Robbie Brown, now with the New York Jets, and receivers coach Kyle Manley, who took the role of quarterbacks coach in 2014.
Norton, who spent 1994-97 at Vanderbilt and LSU in the Southeastern Conference as a graduate assistant coach, got his first fulltime post at Eastern Illinois under venerable coach Bob Spoo in 1997-98, helping the Panthers crack the FCS Top 25 and assisting in the signing of future Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, a three-time Pro Bowl pick. Norton worked under legendary Ron Randleman from 1999-2004 at Sam Houston, helping the Bearkats reach the 2001 playoff quarterfinals and the 2004 semifinals as assistant head coach and offensive line coach.
He was co-offensive coordinator and o-line coach in 2005-06 at McNeese as the Cowboys won the 2006 Southland title and reached the playoffs. Regaining the assistant head coach title to go with co-offensive coordinator and line coach from 2007-10 at Texas State, he helped the Bobcats to the 2008 FCS playoffs with a Southland crown, FCS Top 25 rankings in 2008 and 2009, and top 20 finishes in total offense from 2007-09, when Texas State averaged 420-yards plus each season. In his four seasons there, the Bobcats averaged 30 points, 408 yards, 165 yards rushing (4.5 per rush) and allowed only 1.5 sacks per game.
While at Texas State, Norton was responsible for signing linebacker Joplo Bartu, now a starter with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He coached 18 All-Southland Conference offensive players, five All-Southland offensive linemen, five All-Americans including two offensive linemen, and eight Southland Offensive Players of the Week at Texas State.
He had 14 All-Southland offensive linemen at Sam Houston and two more at McNeese. He coached three All-Americans up front at Sam Houston. At EIU, he coached five All-Ohio Valley Conference offensive linemen, including an All-American.
In his two UFL seasons, he had four linemen sign NFL contracts, including Tony Ugoh, who won a Super Bowl ring with the New York Giants.
Norton joined the United Football League’s Las Vegas Locos for the 2011 season and helped them to the championship game. He was an American Guest Coach with the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp in 2012, working with the offensive line, running backs and special teams, before coaching with the UFL’s Sacramento Mountain Lions in 2012.
Norton was a four-year letterwinner at SFA, where he earned Academic All-Southland Conference honors as an offensive lineman as a senior in 1992. He was a standout lineman and part-time placekicker at Vidor High School.
Norton, 45, is a Dallas native who earned a master’s in education from Vanderbilt in 1997. He is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
