Pitt football: Thomas at home at last
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All smiles: Pitt coach Todd Graham shares a laugh with Todd Thomas (4) as the team takes part in media day Monday.
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Redshirt freshman Todd Thomas' talent has never been in question. But, strangely, his athleticism, speed and size have worked against him because coaches believed he could fit so many positions.
As former standout tight end Dorin Dickerson learned during his career at Pitt, a player capable of playing more than one position often becomes a player without a home who bounces around the depth chart for four years.
In Dickerson's case, the coaches figured out where he fit by his senior season. That doesn't seem to be the case with Thomas (6 feet 2, 220 pounds), who is similar in size and athleticism to Dickerson, but has landed at spur linebacker.
"This position is perfect for me," Thomas said. "I can use my speed, my quickness and, for me, this is just a perfect position. It is way different than safety, you have to be able to play the run and be strong and quick and know where your alignments are.
"But, I love it, this is a great fit for what I think I can do."
Thomas, from Beaver Falls, was an all-state receiver in high school, but he was academically ineligible. Instead of going directly to Pitt, he enrolled at Milford Academy and became one of the highest rate prep school players in the country at safety.
His versatility was obvious at Beaver Falls High School, where he played receiver, running back, defensive back and linebacker.
He enrolled at Pitt in the spring of 2010, bouncing frequently between offense and defense while the previous coaching staff tried to figure out what position suited him best.
In October, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. That ended his season and also resulted in his missing spring practice. He admitted, however, that he was excited about first-year coach Todd Graham's offensive and defensive systems because they both rely on speed and athleticism.
"I felt like this was supposed to happen for me," Thomas said. "I knew I would find a place to fit in. The big thing was just learning it all and then getting up to the speed of things since I missed the spring. But I'm getting used to it. I know I just need to be a ball hawk out there."
Thomas is the second-team spur behind senior Greg Williams, but he has shared some first-team time this week in preseason camp and believes he will get plenty of opportunities to make plays.
First Published August 12, 2011 12:09 am
