Thomas looks to shine as a senior

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, April 3, 2002 | 10:17 a.m.

Jason Thomas knows he has a lot riding on his senior season at UNLV.

"It's my life," the 6-foot-4, 230-pound lefthander said matter-of-factly following the Rebels' first spring practice workout on Tuesday afternoon. "I'm at a crossroads right now. I'm working hard so that if I don't make it, I know I at least gave it my all. But I know I can make it."

One of the most touted prep prospects to come out of Southern California, Thomas appeared to be an All-American candidate and even a Heisman Trophy long shot after leading the Rebels to a Las Vegas Bowl upset of Arkansas in 2000. He was named the Mountain West's Newcomer of the Year after rushing for 599 yards and 11 touchdowns and passing for 1,708 yards and 14 touchdowns.

But Thomas, who played the final half of that season with what later was determined to be a broken foot that required off-season surgery, struggled in 2001, throwing more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (8) as UNLV sputtered to a 4-7 record.

His once laser-like passes frequently wobbled or were off target. Others were simply dropped. Opposing teams, mindful that the Rebels didn't possess a true home run threat at wide receiver or tailback, designed their defenses to take away Thomas' dangerous scrambling options. And with each loss, frustration began to mount.

Thomas, the man who was being counted on to lead UNLV's football program into the Top 25, was suddenly hearing boos. Some fans even wanted UNLV head coach John Robinson to bench Thomas in favor of backup Kurt Nantkes.

What most of those fans probably didn't realize is that Thomas, who underwent what was termed "minor" surgery on his throwing arm in June, had been advised by his doctor to not even throw a football until October. He ignored that advice because he didn't want to let down a school that had already begun a major publicity push for him for national honors.

The good news is that Thomas says he feels the best physically this spring since his junior year of high school.

"It's like night and day," Thomas said. "I'm not really out here to try and prove anything to myself. I just want the team to have confidence in me again.

"Last year there were so many variables that went into it that I don't want to really talk about. But I feel this is going to be the year for me. I've got (wide receiver and ex-Dominguez High teammate) David (Relf) here. I've got Coach Vince (Alcade) here. Everything is lined up. And my arm feels great. I can throw the 15-yard 'out.' I can throw all the routes. Last year I couldn't say that until the (season-ending) Air Force game."

Thomas said he has no regrets for playing last season despite the fact his throwing arm clearly wasn't close to 100 percent.

"(The doctor) told me after the surgery that I shouldn't throw until October," Thomas said. "But I'm out there throwing in July."

Why?

"I had so many other things going into that season," he said. "I had all those preseason accolades and stuff. But the main thing is that I just wanted to be out there with my guys. It wasn't about being out there just for myself. Hurt or not, I just wanted to be out there with the guys. I never second-guessed myself for that. Once you decide to go out there, you can't second-guess yourself."

Thomas also wasn't helped by the fact that UNLV didn't have a full-time quarterback coach, something Robinson addressed in the off-season when he hired Alcade, a former assistant with the XFL Las Vegas Outlaws, to oversee the position.

"A blessing," Thomas said of Alcade's hiring. "You need somebody like that every day, especially at my position."

Thomas said Alcade has made several minor adjustments to his throwing motion that have already paid big dividends in practice.

"The things I needed to change weren't big things," Thomas said. "The things Coach Vince changed with me were things like how I gripped the football and shortening my release point. I have a much better grip of the ball now and can throw sprials again."

"Vince has really helped him," Robinson said. "He's given him a lot of stability and a lot of attention and a lot of time. Our quarterbacks all did well today."

Thomas also has another reason to go out with a big senior year. He became a father for the first time last December of a daughter named Jalynn.

"That got me to focus on my goal," Thomas said. "I need to be more responsible. I can't be living for myself. I've got to live for somebody else, too. The decisions I make are going to affect her life, too. I don't want her to come up to me one day and say, 'Daddy, you could have been good? What happened?' I don't want to have to tell her I messed up."