Keyshawn watches as UNLV flattens Wyoming

Steve Guiremand

Saturday, Oct. 21, 2000 | 9:18 a.m.

Keyshawn Johnson had watched Jason Thomas for just four plays when he took a short break to visit with the media at halftime of UNLV's 42-23 Homecoming victory over Wyoming at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

But the Pro Bowl wide receiver from the Tampe Bay Bucs had already developed an opinion on the Rebels' talented sophomore quarterback.

"That's all I need to see," Johnson said referring to a four-play, 80-yard second quarter drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown run by Thomas just before intermission. "(USC) should be kicking themselves right now."

Luckily for UNLV (4-3, 2-2), Thomas and his sore right foot were able to play on Saturday.

Wyoming (1-7, 0-4), a 22-point underdog, was trailing by just a touchdown, 14-7, with 4:06 left in the first half when Thomas was summoned by UNLV coach John Robinson off the bench to replace senior starter Jason Vaughan.

Even though Robinson had said Thursday he would likely play Thomas a quarter, the move caught Jason's family by surprise.

"We stayed home and watched the first half on TV because we didn't think he'd play," said Lois Thomas, Jason's mother. "But when we saw Jason go in there, we jumped in the car and drove down (to the stadium)."

It didn't take long for the nation's top-rated quarterback in passing efficiency to heat up.

On first down, he connected with wide receiver Nate Turner for a nine-yard gain. Then after tailback Jeremi Rudolph picked up a first down with a six-yard run, Thomas teammed up with Turner again, this time for a 55-yard play that gave the Rebels a first-and-goal at the Wyoming 10.

Thomas then completed the 80-yard march with a 10-yard scramble off left tackle to give UNLV a 21-7 lead.

Wyoming cut the deficit to 21-10 on a 45-yard Aaron Elling field goal as time expired in the first half, but the Cowboys never got any closer the rest of the way.

Thomas, despite playing only half of the game, still managed to complete 6-of-9 passes for 111 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also carried three times for 18 yards and another touchdown.

"It felt good just to be out there," Thomas said. "I felt kind of sloppy with my individual performance but we got the win and that's all that matters."

Thomas said he felt "a sharp pain" each time he planted his right foot, but that once he got into the flow of the game "my preparation hurt me more than my (foot).

"My foot is good," Thomas continued. "It's a little sore but it was good for it to get banged and bruised a little and get back into rehab tomorrow."

"It was very important that Jason fight to get ready to play, whether or not he played in the game," Robinson said. "Mentally, he needs the process of fighting to get back."

Thomas was hardly a one-man show on this night, however.

The only bad news for the Rebels came on the injury front.

Starting safety Randy Black broke his right hand in the first quarter and is scheduled to have surgery early Sunday morning to have two steel plates and four screws inserted to stabilize two different fractures.

"He'll miss next week's game (at Mississippi), but he could be back the following week (at Utah)," Robinson said.

However, trainer Kyle Wilson said he hadn't ruled Black out of next week's game in Oxford. Miss.

"Once we get the plates and screws in there, it's possible we could cast it and have him out there," Wilson said.

But there's no denying that Thomas will play again ... sore foot or no.

"Friday I pretty much dismissed (Thomas' injury)," Robinson said. "He's learning. It was his first experience with this, but he came back and impressed me. He'll have to do it many times throughout his career."