The Wolverine

2020 Football Preview

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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THE WOLVERINE 2020 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 105 He made that clear when he emerged from the post-Alabama locker room. "I thought we were going to persevere and fight through everything, but that wasn't the outcome," he said Jan. 1. "Going into next year we see what we really have to work on, what has to be brought to light. "Everyone has to get accountable on their mistakes. That's something we really didn't do this year. If someone messes up, we usu- ally say, 'Okay, next play,' but we never get back to it. "Everyone has to be held accountable. Next year that's something we need to emphasize." But Thomas more than did his part. He was a first-team Pro Football Focus (PFF) Midseason All-American as a flex defender midway through last year — no Power Five corner had allowed a lower passer rating into his coverage through six games, the site reported. He allowed only nine receptions 21 different passes targeted at him, intercepted two and broke up two more. By the end of the year he was named the team's Defensive Skill Position Player of the Year over athletes like senior corner Lavert Hill and senior safety Metellus, notching 38 tackles (three for loss) and picking off three passes. He broke up four more throws and recovered two fumbles. Some, including his doctors, might have called it a near miracle that he was even able to play, let alone shine the way he did. He might have even impressed himself, though he wasn't about to pat himself on the back. He made it clear that what was in the past was going to stay there. It was no longer about what had happened or the negative — it was all about the future. "I'm not talking about that anymore," he said succinctly of the adversity he overcame. But he let one thought slip before he con- tinued. "Man. Thirty pounds," he said. "It was sickening." Those would be his last words on the sub- ject. No Excuses Thomas isn't much of a talker when it comes to his play, either, having proven in his first season his work on the field does it for him. PFF reported Thomas pressed at the line of scrimmage on a heavy major- ity of his snaps — more than 81 percent of them, which was the fourth-highest rate in the Football Bowl Subdivision and better than 50 percentage points above the average — with great success. "He clearly held his own on these reps, al- lowing just eight catches on 30 targets of 10 or more yards with a couple of interceptions when pressing," PFF noted. Being on an island in coverage is a lot of responsibility, too much for a lot of corners. Thomas, though, wouldn't have it any other way. "I came to Michigan because my high school defense [at Detroit King], that's all we did was play man," he said. "Man is man at the end of the day. Man is a mindset; it's a mind thing. I was ready to accept that challenge." It helped, he added, to have a former NFL safety in Mike Zordich coaching him. The two hit it off from the first day Thomas ar- rived on campus in 2017. "He's a very smart coach as far as really knowing what to look for because he played safety in the league," Thomas continued. "He teaches us how to think like a safety as well as a corner. That's a great advantage to have." So is having coaches who get in his grill when things aren't going well, challenging him to take his play to another level. There are plenty of times Zordich and defensive coordinator Don Brown will say what he and his teammates don't want to hear to try to get the best out of them. Again, Thomas wouldn't have it any other way. He's used it to up his game, and many believed he became the Wolverines' best player in the secondary last fall — despite playing the same position as a former All- American and two-time first-team All-Big Ten corner in Hill. By the end of the year, some of the same people thought he would take his chances with the NFL Draft. Hill had earned more prestigious honors than Thomas' third-team All-Big Ten mention, but Thomas was the Michigan's most reliable corner. In the Citrus Bowl, the Crimson Tide hit three huge plays in the passing game, two for scores, but none came at Thomas' expense. Even so, Thomas had a great idea he would be back for his senior year. "I always knew I was going to come back, because I know myself. I'm a first-round pick if I just keep on being consistent and just do what I do, basically," he said. "I re- ally feel like I'm a top pick. I know I've got the potential to be one. "That's me just knowing I'm better than what I put on tape last year … that was just me getting my feet wet. I did a decent job, but I know the second year I'll be way more comfortable and more relaxed." Several, though, tried to get him to think about leaving early. He wasn't biting. "I really wasn't considering it until a lot of people just started hitting me up, giving me hints that yeah, I can go pro if I wanted to," he said. "A couple teams were asking about me as a matter of fact, wondering if I was going to go pro. But I know I can be a top guy, so I'd rather be patient." "I want a Big Ten championship and want to beat Ohio State. That's my main priority right now." THOMAS

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