Football: Humbled, Thomas leads defense with big plays against New Mexico

Just two games into his renewed career at Pitt, redshirt junior linebacker Todd Thomas co-led the Panthers football team with nine tackles, highlighted by a monstrous throwdown for a 7-yard loss on New Mexico’s fake-punt attempt.

The play happened in the fourth quarter Saturday, with Pitt up 42-20. Thomas, who was stationed on the line of scrimmage, recognized New Mexico reserve running back Jhurell Pressley motioning across the backfield to receive a reverse handoff, so he pounced on him. 

“On the sideline we just yelled, ‘Watch the fake!’” senior defensive tackle Aaron Donald said. “Todd just happened to blow it up. He was just being a playmaker. That’s what it’s about.”

Head coach Paul Chryst was equally pleased to see Thomas thwart the Lobos. 

“It still takes him putting himself in that situation, but that was nice to see him make that play,” Chryst said.

Thomas said Chryst and his staff had forewarned the players of such trickery during practices this past week, crediting the preparation for his storming tackle.

“We went through it all week,” Thomas said. “It was my key, and that was my read. I just did what I had to do, and I did my job.”

Hailing from Beaver Falls, Pa., and Milford Academy in New York, Thomas has led an injury-plagued career mixed with stints of exceptional play. He sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament as a freshman in 2010, resulting in season-ending surgery and a redshirt. In 2011, he played in 10 games, but reaggravated his knee, causing him to miss the season’s final three games and go back under the knife. Thomas’ second surgery also caused him to miss the first four games of 2012, but he still finished the season as Pitt’s third-leading tackler among non-seniors.

On the first day of training camp in 2013, Thomas was playing with the second team core of linebackers behind redshirt junior Anthony Gonzalez and redshirt sophomore Mike Caprara. He decided to leave the team that evening, a mistake he now looks back on in the first time speaking with the media since last season.

“I realized I didn’t want to make that decision,” Thomas said. “I love Pitt. I was here from day one. I realized I didn’t want to change anything. In order for me to come back, I had to change the way I carried myself, and I did that for the team.

“Definitely, it was lesson learned right there. I’m just thankful that Coach let me back, and it feels great,” he humbly added.

When asked about the process of rejoining the team, Thomas said it was all up to his teammates.

“[They asked me], ‘Are you ready for change?’ And I said yeah. The way I carried myself wasn’t really appropriate, so I just came back, did what I [had] to do, showed them that I could change, and now I’m back and thankful for that, for the seniors, from the freshmen on up, Coach Chryst and the staff, for letting me come back.”

Thomas also said he’s a changed man.

“I’m calm. I’m just relaxed. I ain’t hyper no more,” Thomas said, spurring laughter. “[I had to] stay humble, and that’s what I did. I changed for the team. I’m thankful that everybody let me do that. I really love the team, and I enjoy playing for this team. But it’s over with now. We’re back. We got a win today, and I’m happy.”

All week Panthers defenders prepared for New Mexico’s run-based option offense and running back Kasey Carrier, who, coming into Saturday, lead all Division I-A players in rushing yards with 345 and averaged 172.5 yards per game.  He was also ranked 14th in the nation in scoring.

Yet, against Pitt, Thomas and his defense denied Carrier of similar statistics: He racked up just 22 yards on seven carries.

“Everybody did their assignments,” said Thomas, who was responsible for wrapping up Carrier 2 1/2 times.

“Todd Thomas, he’s a playmaker,” Donald said. “He had his ups and downs before the season. We’re happy to have Todd, and he’s a great player. He’s going to make a lot more plays.”