It’s been a snap for Troy’s Thomas

TROY — Time flies when you’re having fun. It flew by too fast for Troy long snapper Derick Thomas.

So fast that he didn’t get to experience his junior year.

Thomas, an Elba native, was told before the season that this year would be his last in terms of eligibility. That means the Trojans’ game against Western Kentucky Saturday at 2:30 p.m. will be his final homecoming as a Trojan football player.

He’s a senior because he enrolled in Troy in the fall of 2004 as a full-time student, starting his five-year eligibility clock despite the fact he didn’t walk on to the team until the next spring.

At the time, Thomas and coaches thought his redshirt year would be 2005. He spent the 2006 year as Zach Yenser’s backup at long snapper and took over the starting role last year, when everyone thought he was a sophomore.

“I had my mindset that I had another year to play,” Thomas said. “It was just a shock.

“But if I’m a senior, I’m a senior. It was just a shock because I thought I had two years left.”

Thomas thought his scholarship would carry him for the next two years. He’ll graduate in the spring with a bachelor’s degree in sport fitness management with a business minor.

After that, he’ll go for his master’s in education, where he hopes to one day be a teacher and coach.

Thomas has long heard the comparisons to former University of Alabama and NFL great Derrick Thomas, a linebacker.
Derick Thomas thought he’d be playing linebacker when he first joined the team, but long snapper was his fastest track to playing time.

“I had football cards of Derrick Thomas,” Thomas said.

“In high school, we had to say our favorite NFL player, and I said Derrick Thomas.”

Note the different spellings, though. Troy’s Thomas is named after his father, James Frederick, who goes by Fred. The younger Thomas goes by Derick.

His name is even spelled wrong in places in Troy’s media guide.

“It’s wrong all the time, but I let it slip,” he said.

Thomas is one of several Trojans who have emerged as starters from walk-on status.

“He’s doing absolutely the best he can,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said. “He works hard every day and tries hard every play. I’m really proud of him.

“He’s probably not the most gifted long snapper in America, but he’s getting the job done.”

Thomas’ only two hiccups came in the season opener against Middle Tennessee, when he bounced two snaps to punter Will Goggans. Goggans recovered the first one and punted it away, but couldn’t get to the second one and MTSU recovered with great field position.

Thomas thought he was too relaxed on the snap, but hasn’t let one go bad since.

“(I felt) terrible,” Thomas said. “We’ve got one job and that’s to snap. I know a quarterback feels bad if he’s got an incomplete pass, but that’s all we do.

“If we mess up, that’s the only time people notice us.”