Thomas disappointed in scrimmage performance

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Aug. 24, 2000 | 10:08 a.m.

This is not the way Jason Thomas wanted things to go in his first fall scrimmage for UNLV.

Quarterbacking the first-team offense against the second-team defense on Wednesday night at Rebel Park, the highly touted Thomas took his first snap and threw a quick pass into the left flat right to redshirt freshman linebacker Ryan Claridge. Claridge then scampered 25 yards untouched into the end zone for the only touchdown of the night during the 58-play controlled scrimmage.

"I threw like crap tonight," said Thomas, a sophomore transfer from USC. "But next time I get out there I'll do much better. I'm not worried too much about it because I know what I can do."

Actually, it wasn't quite that bad for the 6-4, 230-pound lefty, who is battling senior Jason Vaughan and sophomore Matt Ray for the starting quarterback job.

Thomas bounced back to complete 2 of 5 passes for 23 yards and also rushed for 17 more yards on three carries. He just missed on two more completions on deep passes which he slightly underthrew.

Meanwhile, Vaughan completed 3 of 5 passes for 19 yards and Ray was 2 of 3 for 20 yards in their brief tenures.

"Hey, that's why we practice," UNLV coach John Robinson said of Thomas' interception.

"I made a bad read," Thomas said. "But that's part of growing as a quarterback. This is really my first year out there and doing my thing. I still have a lot to learn. But as long as I can keep improving, I'll be cool."

What impressed Robinson in the scrimmage?

"Nothing," he said. "There was nothing bad and nothing good. It was a group of people out there who were very tired (from two-a-days) who couldn't summon up that much energy. But it was efficient enough. Running backs are probably the strength of our team right now."

The offensive star of the scrimmage was senior tailback Kevin Brown, a transfer from Washington State who earned second team all-Pac-10 honors in 1998.

The 6-1, 220-pound Brown carried four times for 43 yards, including a 34-yarder.

Returning starter Jeremi Rudolph carried just two times for 16 yards.