J.T. Thomas (linebacker)

Infobox NCAA Athlete
name = J.T. Thomas III


caption =
college = West Virginia
conference = Big East
sport = Football
jersey = 30
position = Linebacker
class = RS-Sophomore
major =
career_start = 2006
nickname =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1
weight_lb = 215
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1987|8|15
birth_place = Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
highschool = Blanche Ely High School, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
championships =
championship_list =
awards = 2006 Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year

James "J.T." Thomas, III. (born August 15, 1988 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) is an American football linebacker who plays for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Thomas is the son of J.T. Thomas,Jr. who was a linebacker for West Virginia University as well.

Early life

Thomas attended Blanche Ely High School in Florida, where he was a first-team all-county selection while playing football. As the senior team captain, Thomas recorded 86 tackles, five sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles as he led his team to the state semifinals.

Collegiate career

True-Freshman season (2006)

James Thomas enrolled at West Virginia University in 2006. That season, behind linebackers Boo McLee and Marc Magro, Thomas played early and recorded two tackles. However, he took a medical redshirt after being forced to sit on the sideline with an ankle injury. He was awarded the team's Danny Van Etten Award, as the scout team player of the year defensively.

Redshirt-Freshman season (2007)

After serving his medical redshirt, Thomas entered the 2007 season as backup linebacker with Bobby Hathaway behind a talented group of starters: Reed Williams, Marc Magro and Mortty Ivy. However, before the season began, Thomas and cornerback Ellis Lankster were arrested and suspended for transferring and receiving a stolen television. The two were suspended indefinitely.

However, Thomas' suspension ended before the ECU victory, and in that game Thomas recorded one tackle. Thomas then played in the next four games, recording a tackle in each. Then in the 38-31 victory over Louisville, Thomas recorded three tackles and a pass break-up. He then recorded a tackle in the 28-23 victory over Cincinnati, followed by two tackles in his next appearance against Pittsburgh. In the Fiesta Bowl victory over the #4 Oklahoma Sooners to end the season, Thomas recorded a then career-high 6 tackles.

J.T. Thomas ended his redshirt-freshman season with 19 tackles and a pass break-up in ten games.

ophomore season (2008)

As the first season under new head coach Bill Stewart began, the linebacking core from the previous season had lost starter Marc Magro and backup Bobby Hathaway. As spring practice began, Stewart and defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel spoke highly of Thomas, saying, "He [was] like a heat-seeking missile...He really was. He was flying out there." [ [http://www.timeswv.com/wvu_sports/local_story_079231236.html "WVU defense is ahead of offense" - Times West Virginian] ]

In the season opening victory over Villanova Wildcats, 48-21, Thomas was third on the team with 6 tackles and two sacks, and also blocked a punt that he returned for 26 yards in his first collegiate start. His blocked punt was the first for WVU since 2005 against Rutgers. In the following 24-3 loss to ECU, Thomas led the Mountaineers with 10 total tackles and also a tackle for a loss. In the 17-14 loss to Colorado, Thomas recorded a tackle in the first quarter in which he suffered a concussion and was forced to miss the rest of the game. Thomas returned the following victory over Marshall to total three tackles and force a fumble.

External links

* [http://www.msnsportsnet.com/profile.cfm?id=101260&sport=football J.T. Thomas' WVU Profile]

References