Friday, November 29, 2002
Copyright ? Las Vegas Review-Journal
UNLV FOOTBALL: Jason Thomas' finale
Highly touted quarterback enjoyed good times, weathered bad times
By MARK ANDERSON
REVIEW-JOURNAL
 Jason Thomas waves to the crowd at a pep rally before UNLV's Las Vegas Bowl victory over Arkansas in 2000.
Thomas' career at UNLV has been marked by a series of highs and lows -- from scoring dramatic touchdowns
to fumbling at the goal line
to covering his head with a towel after being pulled for inferior play. Thomas ranks high statistically at UNLV, but ultimately will be remembered for not living up to his billing. REVIEW-JOURNAL FILE PHOTOS |
In just one day, Jason Thomas will put on a UNLV uniform for the final time.
Some are saddened by that, others happy. There is little in between.
Thomas is more than a football player, more than a quarterback. He is the lightning rod for all the good and bad that has occurred with UNLV football.
So, as he prepares for Saturday's noon PST game at Colorado State, Thomas nears the end of the unique experience of being one of the most closely watched athletes in UNLV history.
"All my experiences through my life hopefully will mold me into the person I'm going to be when I'm older -- a person that's going to raise my daughter, to make me a better person, to make me appreciate things when they're going good and not expect them to go good," Thomas said. "And also know when things are going bad that they're not going to be bad forever. I learned a lot of life's lessons here."
Thomas has experienced a love-hate relationship with the fans.
He was adored when he helped lead the Rebels to an 8-5 record and Las Vegas Bowl victory in 2000, but has been harshly criticized through his struggles the past two seasons. Fans booed Thomas during a midseason loss this year and openly called for Kurt Nantkes to take his place.
Other incidents fueled contentiousness with the fans. Two weeks ago, Thomas directed epithets at a fan criticizing coach John Robinson. Earlier this season, he taunted UNR players after leading the Rebels on a late scoring drive to win, 21-17.
"All those incidents come out of me being a competitor," Thomas said. "The Reno game, when I yelled at the team, I was just so pissed off at the things that they said about me the week leading up to the game. Then we get into the game and we win, and I was like, `Now what?' That was more of a, `What do you have to say now?'
"Then the Air Force game with the fans, I'm sticking up for my coach. You try like you can't hear, but everybody knows you can. I know how it feels. So I just wanted to stick up for my coach, and I'd do that any day."
The most controversial incident was one Thomas might or might not have been involved in. Some football players allegedly damaged a home with baseball bats in February, and police said they wanted to question Thomas, but never did.
When asked if he was involved, Thomas didn't directly answer.
"That's in the past," he said. "We dealt with it as a program, as a school. It's over with. Everybody in the family who needs to know knows about it."
As far as his athletic ability, Thomas transferred from Southern California as one of the major acquisitions in UNLV history. He justified that belief with a sensational sophomore season, not only leading the Rebels to the postseason but also being named Mountain West Conference Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
But shoulder surgery the following spring helped lead to a miserable junior season. This season has been a mixture of encouraging and disappointing performances, with Thomas constantly on the run behind an inexperienced line.
Plus, Robinson said Thomas is still paying a price for the surgery.
"The accuracy in his throwing arm has just never really come back to the way he would've liked it or we would've liked it," Robinson said. "He just didn't seem to improve. He's had games where he's been phenomenal. And when people have kind of kept him inside, he's struggled a little bit."
Thomas, who hasn't said anything was wrong with the shoulder until now, admitted there were problems.
"To be honest, it affects me," Thomas said. "In hindsight, you say maybe you should've sat out last year, but it's what I did. I've got to live with it, and I don't want to live my life in a rear-view mirror."
No longer is Thomas talked about as a sure-bet NFL quarterback prospect. He still could reach that level, but Thomas and Robinson said it might have to be at a different position.
Moving Thomas from quarterback to another position, such as tailback or tight end, at UNLV was never seriously considered. He has tight end size (6 feet 4 inches, 230 pounds) and tailback speed and quickness.
"I think he would've rebelled if he would've been asked not to play (quarterback)," Robinson said. "Those are dreams that you don't want to give up very easily."
Even though Thomas' career hasn't lived up to expectations -- except for the 2000 season when his picture went up on a billboard -- he has a prominent place in the school record book.
With 4,997 career yards passing, he is 99 from overtaking Glenn Carano for fourth place. Earlier this season, Thomas broke Carano's record for a quarterback with 24 rushing touchdowns and is one behind Mack Gilchrist for second all time at any position. He also is the only UNLV quarterback to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a career (1,528).
So, for all the criticism Thomas has weathered for not living up to the Heisman Trophy hype he received entering last season, he has left a significant mark in the program's history.
But that's not what he said he will take from his UNLV career.
"The games you're going to forget. The scores, the records, all that stuff is going to get old," Thomas said. "But the friendships that you have with the guys on the team is something that's going to last for a lifetime."
Which made turning down such schools as Nebraska and Miami the right decision for Thomas.
"Especially being able to come here and play for Coach Robinson," Thomas said. "It was a lifelong dream of mine, doing something that a lot of people in my neighborhood grew up not having a chance to do -- go to college, play sports. Now I have a chance to go to the next level, so I'm grateful."
Now, the end is nearly here. It was about midway through 1999 that he stood at a podium at the Four Seasons and announced he was transferring to UNLV.
It seems like a lifetime ago. It seems like yesterday.
"I thought I was probably going to come through and win a conference championship or two and then go on to the next level and play quarterback," Thomas said. "But life is never how you plan it. It's just how you respond to the things you encounter."
JASON THOMAS STATISTICS
Rushing
Year Att. Yards Avg. TD Long
2002 124 448 3.6 9 40
2001 107 481 4.5 4 53
2000 138 599 4.3 11 72
Passing
Year Att. Comp. Yards Pct. TD INT Long
2002 274 134 1936 .498 8 7 55
2001 194 83 1353 .428 8 12 56
2000 201 105 1708 .527 14 9 57
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