Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 21, 1995 TAG: 9509210052
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Good thing Dwayne Thomas is a laid-back dude. If he wasn't, the Virginia Tech senior tailback would have required a straitjacket by now.
While Tech's unexpected 0-2 start has many Hokie backers signaling red alert, the easy-going Thomas is not alarmed.
``Hey,'' said Thomas, ``it's still early yet. There are nine more games left, so there's no need to get all worried about it. We've just got to relax and take things as they come.''
After all the off-field adversity he has dealt with lately, losing a couple football games must seem inconsequential to Thomas.
Two weeks before Tech's Sept.7 season-opener against Boston College, Thomas learned that a cousin of his, Bradford Lee Blakes, had been murdered in Fort Myers, Fla., where Thomas lives.
In the middle of Tech's preseason drills, a shaken Thomas had to return home to be with family and help bury a guy who ``was like a brother to me.''
``My cousin and some of his friends were hanging out at a store, and for some reason, some dude that was mad at him just came by and shot him,'' Thomas said. ``It was almost like a drive-by because the guy who shot him never got out of his car.
``I had figured it was going to happen sooner or later. Everybody in my family had tried to warn [Blakes]. He knew what the possibilities were and what he was doing.''
When Thomas returned to Blacksburg, he realized he couldn't spend a lot of time brooding over his cousin's death.
``My Dad [LeRoy Thomas Jr.] just said, `Let it go, you've got things to do.' I had to deal with it, let it go and go on about my life.
``I still think about it every now and then, but it hasn't really affected me. It doesn't bother me. Once it was time to play football, football was on my mind.''
Off the field, Thomas' mind has had to hustle lately. The 22-year-old and his girlfriend, Carmen King, who also is a Tech student, have a 17-month-old son, Dwayne Jr.
``He's the light of my eyes,'' Thomas said, smiling. ``I've got to make sure I do everything I can to be a good father.''
After Dwayne Jr. was born in March 1994, Thomas frequently visited his son in Knoxville, Tenn., where King's family lives. All the trips up and down Interstates 81 and 40 almost cost Thomas his eligibility.
The past two summers, Thomas had to make up significant ground in summer school to get his grade-point average up to the required 2.0 and remain eligible for football.
While Tech coaches quietly worried, Thomas said he didn't.
``I knew I'd get things taken care of,'' he said. ``I knew I'd be here. Everybody just worries too much. ''
Hokies assistant coach Billy Hite, who handles Tech's running backs, used to fret over Thomas' grades. Not anymore, though.
``Whenever there's a pressure situation, Dwayne always has told me not to worry and that he's going to get it done,'' Hite said. ``And he seems to have done that whether it's on or off the field.''
While Hite adores watching Thomas run on the field, it's some running the senior didn't do that impresses his Tech coach most.
``I most proud of him because a lot of kids would have run away from the responsibility of helping a mother raising a child, but Dwayne Thomas hasn't,'' Hite said. ``You constantly see him with his son taking him places and doing things. I really respect and admire him for taking care of his responsibilities.''
While Tech's bad start has some Hokie hearts racing, Thomas remains the proverbial cool cat.
``Things can only get better,'' he said. ``Nobody should be panicking yet.''
If Thomas weren't so cool, he would be hot over his numbers thus far. Tech's eighth-career rushing leader with 2,121 yards has gained 98 yards on 33 carries in the Hokies' first two games.
``There hasn't been too many holes out there so far,'' said Thomas, who ran for 1,130 yards in '93, the third-highest total in school history.
``Right now, the whole offense is out of rhythm. It seems everybody is not on the same page, and that's throwing our timing off a bit.
``Hey, we've just got to get our minds focused and go out and play like we know how to play. We need to get in that offensive groove like we were two years ago.
``It will happen. I'm not worried.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB