Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 20, 1994 TAG: 9410200062
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
``He's baaaack!''
``If I heard it once, I heard it 10 times,'' said Tech running backs coach Billy Hite, whose top runner has missed three games with a sprained ankle suffered in the win over West Virginia.
Thomas, who in 1993 became Tech's first 1,000-yard rusher since 1986, resumes his season Saturday at home against Pittsburgh. The Hokies' only loss this year (at Syracuse) was played without him, but Tech nearly lost the junior for all 11 games long before the season began.
In March, Thomas became a father and almost became academically ineligible because he kept missing classes to swing down to Knoxville, Tenn., to see his son Dwayne and girlfriend Carmen King. Only a superior effort in summer school kept him around.
Not that Thomas doubted he'd do it.
``When I sat down with him to talk about his grades, I said, `Aren't you embarrassed by this?''' Hite said. ``He said, `Yes.' I said, `Doesn't this bother you at all?' He said, `No.' Which [ticked] me off. He said, `Because I'll do what it takes to be eligible.' After I thought about it, I said, maybe that's why he's a good football player, because he'll do what he has to do to get the job done.''
Yet Thomas didn't know he'd be eligible until a couple days before preseason practice started, and his mind was filled with more than highlighted textbooks and class notes.
``I put myself in a bad predicament, I put my team and my coaches and everyone else associated with our team ... in a bad predicament by myself not getting my grades earlier,'' Thomas, 21, said. ``Plus, having a girlfriend who just had a little baby, that definitely hurt me knowing that, `What if I fail out? What am I going to do for a whole year? I've got a little son now.'
``There were just a lot of things going through my mind over the summer. That's probably why I pushed so hard over the summer, to work so hard to get the grades, knowing I know what I should be doing [and] what I shouldn't be doing.''
His pragmatism pushes teammates beyond mulling individual mistakes if the team won. He's a forward thinker who has a plan for his new family. And, says Tech head coach Frank Beamer, Thomas is an everything-will-be-OK guy who has a calming effect on the Hokies.
``I feel I've got a very good future as a student,'' Thomas said. ``I feel like I can get a pretty good job. As an athlete, I feel I can do very good after my senior year's over with.
``As a team, that's one of the main goals - being a team. You can't try to say, `Yeah, I did all this by myself.' You've got to focus like a team. Like, me and my girlfriend, it's a team thing between us to get our degrees, and then we'll raise our son together.''
King is back at Tech, Thomas said, but little Dwayne is staying with his Mom's parents in Knoxville. King is on course to graduate in December 1995; Thomas in May of '96.
Thomas' injury allowed him one extra weekend with Carmen and Dwayne (when Tech played at East Carolina last Saturday). But missing games - especially Tech's loss at Syracuse - pained Thomas at least as much as the ankle injury, after which some Hokies reacted violently, as though they saw bone poking through the skin.
``I thought it was broken, myself. ...I couldn't feel my toes at the time,'' Thomas said. ``The first thing that went through my mind was, `It's broken. I'm going to be out for the rest of the season.' ... It just really broke my heart.''
His teammates', too. Not only can Thomas run (his 351 yards in four games still leads Tech runners), but he's Tech's best receiving tailback and has only two fumbles in the past two seasons, covering 293 carries.
By contrast, Tommy Edwards fumbled twice in his first four carries against Syracuse, and freshman Ken Oxendine has three fumbles in 27 carries.
Tech is aching for more than just Thomas' ballhandling.
``He doesn't put himself above us,'' guard Chris Malone said. ``He brings the spirits up, he's never in a bad mood, he's always happy to be there. Sometimes you're getting your head smashed, and you're like, `Why are you doing this?' [Then] you look around and see the friendships you make.''
Some Hokies might be smiling knowing Thomas had a career-high 170 yards against Pitt last year, including a 70-yard touchdown run. The Panthers know a little about missing tailbacks, having lost star Curtis Martin in the season's second game.
Martin's backup, Billy West, leads the Big East in rushing. Tech backups Edwards and Oxendine have shone at times, but ...
``If I was running their offense, I'd be excited as hell to get him back. I think he's a wonderful back,'' Pitt defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach said. ``I try not to remember that ['93] game, to be honest with you, [but] he made some great runs. He also had some runs where there was absolutely no interference, just big gaping holes. ... I think he needs one more week off.''
OK, coach, you tell him. In the past 10 months, Thomas saved his eligibility, dealt with family matters and adjusted to a new offense, only to be cut down by injury and watch Tech fans ooh and aah over Oxendine.
``I got hurt, things change and now I've got to go back in there and just start all over again,'' Thomas said. ``I've been out three weeks, and I'm tired of watching everybody else play. I'm ready to get out on the field and show my skills, and the things I used to do and how I've still got it.''
by CNB