Tore’ Hurst is in his sixth season in 2022 on the Lindenwood coaching staff. He is currently the team’s wide receivers coach, after being the Offensive Quality Control coach in 2017.
In 2021, the Lions won their second-consecutive GLVC Championship with another perfect season in league play. Lindenwood closed out the season with a 9-3 record, while going 7-0 in the conference. Robert Giaimo was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year as a running back. The Lions accumulated 21 all-conference selections, including 10 on the offensive-side of the ball. Lindenwood earned its second appearance in the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs for the second time since joining the NCAA. Academically, the Lions compiled three CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, while two moved on to earn Academic All-American accolades.
In week three of the season, the Lions tied the program record for most rushing touchdowns in a game with eight. Cade Brister ran the ball in five times, which was the most by an individual in 16 years. Lindenwood went into Kirksville, Mo. to upset No. 18 Truman State with the help of three rushing scores from Robert Giaimo. Lindenwood capped of the regular season with a win over McKendree, marking 14-consecutive wins for the Lions in the conference.
In the summer of 2020, Lindenwood earned a ranking of No. 13 in the Street and Smith Preseason Poll, while receiving the No. 17 spot in the LINDY'S Sports Preseason Poll. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the 2020 season was delayed. On October 6, 2020, the GLVC Council of Presidents voted to move the season into the spring semester, which featured a shortened schedule. On March 18, 2021, the Lindenwood football program opted out of the spring season out of concern for the health and well-being of the student-athletes.
In 2019, Hurst helped Lindenwood to one of its best seasons in the NCAA era, as the Lions went 9-4 on the year with a perfect 7-0 mark in conference play to capture the GLVC Championship. Lindenwood earned a berth in the 2019 NCAA Division II Playoffs, while defeating No. 5 Ouachita Baptist in the first round.
Hurst led one of the most explosive receiving group in the country, as the Lions ranked ninth in the country with 301.1 passing yards per game. Lindenwood gained 303 first downs to rank eighth in the nation, 169 of which came from the passing game. The Lions garnered two All-GLVC receivers, including second-team all-region (D2Football.com) honoree Payton Rose. Rose set the new school mark for receiving touchdowns in a season with 15, while compiling 1,168 yards. Najee Jackson was named second-team All-GLVC, as he set the new school record for receptions in a season with 72 catches.
Glen Gibbons hauled in the go-ahead touchdown pass against McKendre in the NCAA Division II Football Showcase Game of the Week. Rose sparked a 21-point fourth quarter against No. 24 Truman State in the thrilling upset victory. Jackson made one of the most clutch catches of the season, as he scored the go-ahead touchdown against Saginaw Valley with just 10 seconds remaining.
Rose tallied a season-high 177 receiving yards against Quincy, which scoring the first touchdown for the Lions in six different games. Jackson (124) and Rose (121) led the Lions in receiving yards in an upset win over No. 8 UIndy. Gibbons hauled in the game-winning touchdown in overtime against Missouri S&T on Senior Day.
In his second season, Hurst helped the offensive production increase from a season ago, scoring 28.8 points per game. The Lindenwood offense ranked in the top-25 in the nation with an 85.7 percent success rate in the red zone. The Lions scored 41 points or more in three-straight games, including a 51-point effort against Missouri Southern.
The Lindenwood receiving core hauled in 235 passes for a total of 2,519 yards and 17 touchdowns. Hurst helped the production of tight end Erik Henneman who was named first-team All-American. Henneman broke the school record for touchdown receptions in a game with four against Missouri Southern.
In his first season at Lindenwood, the team’s offense improved by nearly half a point a game, and gained 26.1 more yards per game. Lindenwood jumped one spot in the MIAA in scoring offense, and four spots in total offense. The program had its highest scoring offense and total offense since its 2012 campaign. Five offensive players earned All-MIAA honors, including three third-team selections.
Hurst coached tight ends at Washburn University as a graduate assistant in 2014.
Hurst played at Washburn from 2010-13 as a tight end for the Ichabods. Tore’ started every game for three-straight seasons and was named to the Daktronics Super Region No.3 second-team in his final year of competition. In his senior season, Hurst led the Ichabods in receiving this season with 40 catches, 575 yards and seven touchdowns. Hurst was a second team All-MIAA pick as a junior and an honorable mention selection as a sophomore.
For his career he recorded 1,868 receiving yards on 131 catches with 24 touchdowns. Entering the 2017 season, Hurst ranks fifth in career touchdown catches at Washburn. Hurst stands sixth in career receptions and ninth in career receiving yards.
Hurst graduated from Washburn in 2016 with a sports management degree.
Hurst is from St. Louis, Mo. where he competed at McClure North High School. Hurst and his wife Jharian have one daughter, Jhordyn.
