MOBILE, Ala. – This day was different, one they hadn't seen.  It had been a long, hard road with pot holes, detours and hills.  It had been a long time coming of potential, pain and passion.  But again, this day was one South Alabama had not seen.  The vision had been set; the goals had been relayed time and time again.  Who would believe that this young program would have slain Goliath and still have to fight for recognition?  Who would believe they would they would be defeated more times than planned and still stay the course?  They wouldn't even believe that on this day, everything would click exactly when it needed to.
     The fourth quarter hit faster than the dawn of the early mornings all summer.  But it was the summer work that would come up big in this moment.  They have been here before, losing with precious time ticking.  What they called a struggling offensive, would come up clutch after the defensive stand.  The offense, inches away from big plays all game, would win by inches.  A forced fumble by one of South's best defensive teams, on the Jags' side of the 50-yard line, will leave the offense with just enough time. 1:42 left on the clock, and only one timeout.


So the story begins for University of South Alabama senior running back Tyreis Thomas.  Not the story of his Jaguar career, or tales from his high school and junior college days that led him to the program.  For you see, Thomas dreams of writing when his exploits on the football field come to an end.

It's a dream and a passion that took root long before he ever played the game.

"For as long as I can remember, my parents always provoked us to express ourselves through our words and our body language.  And my dad always told us to say what you feel, he still says that to this day," Thomas explained.  "If you're not disrespecting anyone, cursing or yelling, you should say what you feel.  My other brothers are outspoken as well, but I've taken it to writing.  I just love to express my thoughts, and as a young African-American male I think it is important to be able to read and write."

Long before Thomas would worry about competing for yards and touchdowns, he learned that it was communications skills that were necessary to be heard in a household that included five boys with a seven-year range from oldest to youngest.

"Everybody was fighting for who they are, and one of the ways we learned to express ourselves was through what we said and how we acted," he recalled.  "Growing up with two older brothers and two younger ones I was sitting in the middle hearing everyone's position, and where it helped shaped me was that I learned you had to find a way to get your point across somehow."


(Commentator 1): "The Jags have just one timeout and are less than 50 yards away their first-ever bowl win, 43 to be exact.  There are some talented players on this offense, but can they get it done?"
(Commentator 2): "They have struggled in plus territory early in the season; this is certainly not a time to for that."
(Commentator 1): "The first pass is complete!  And out of bounds, moving the chains but more importantly stopping the clock."
(Commentator 2): "Still lots of time left but they will need a touchdown to win this game."


Thomas didn't just learn to communicate effectively growing up in that environment.  It helped shape who he is on the football field as well.

"I've been beat up on and I've been able to discipline the younger ones," he said.  "We all were taught to win, that was our ultimate goal and how we were programmed by our parents.  We had a lot of people in the house with the same competitive spirit.  It was a little hectic at times, but it was for the betterment of each of us.  Now that I think about it that probably had the biggest impact on my competitive nature."

Although among the five boys basketball would turn out to be the most prevalent sport, Thomas has always excelled in football.  Perhaps it was due to being around one for as long as he can remember.

"My father says he put a football around me when I was the size of a football," said Thomas.  "As I was growing up he would throw it to me even if I wasn't able to catch it.  I remember starting to play when I was six years old, I fell in love with it then."

While he would play every year, it wasn't until just before high school that Thomas first thought about competing beyond the high school level.  And to be honest, it wasn't Thomas who initially believed he could earn a college scholarship.

"I think more people around me thought it was a possibility before I did," he remembered.  "I was working hard, and I loved playing football all the time.  I would play before school, then come home and play more in the neighborhood.  In eighth grade our team went undefeated, but I was behind another running back until we split up and went to different schools.  That was my chance.  We went undefeated my freshman year, and the more wins we had it really became about how far could I go with it."


(Commentator 1): "They are unable to pick up the blitz and he is brought down.  The clock is still ticking, what a gutsy call by the defensive coordinator.  Time is not on the side of the Jaguars, only 1:05 left to play and still ticking as they rush to the line."
(Commentator 1): "Now second down, the ball is snapped with 49 seconds left.  It's complete!  Out of the backfield, one broken tackle and out of bounds.  What a heads up play to get out of bounds.  Now just 42 tics left.  The ball is placed on the 29, third down and six yards to go. This could be the biggest play of the game.  You can nearly hear the pounding of the team's 'One Heartbeat' phrase."
(Commentator 1): "It is complete!  Well beyond the first, but he did not get out of bounds!  The clock will begin running soon as the chains are set, they better hurry.  Half a minute left and they do not spike the ball!  Wow! The chains are set and the clock starts." 
(Commentator 1): "The ball is tipped! But it is caught on the seven yard line with 20 seconds left.  Timeout is called.  This game has been a roller coaster ride, and now it comes down to the last few seconds with no more timeouts."
(Commentator 2): "I would imagine they would take some shots to the end zone, they have to." 


After that freshman season, Thomas would go on to earn three letters at Boylan Catholic High.  He ran for more than 3,000 yards and scored 24 touchdowns his final two years, helping the Titans win the state title both seasons, but outside of occasional communication with some programs from the Big Ten Conference he wasn't a highly sought after recruit.

"Recruiting had just begun to pick back up around that time, but not a lot of people from our area went to bigger schools," Thomas said.  "At times Big Ten schools like Michigan State and Nebraska would come in, sometimes they were there to watch me play but we had another big player, Dean Lowry, who went to Northwestern and is with the Green Bay Packers now.  Going to catholic school you had to be on top of your Ps and Qs academically, you're talking about a school that scaled an A to be 95 or above.  I'm a decent student but I should've taken it more seriously.  I played well, but there's more to it to reach this level."

Thomas would end up at the College of DuPage (Ill.) as a freshman, but was in store for a surprise when he arrived on campus.  On the first day of practice, there were 18 running backs on the field.  Thomas was in the middle of that pack when evaluations were first made, but would find his way onto the field enough to gain 568 yards and score seven touchdowns.  The team would win the Citizens Bank Bowl and finish eighth in the final National Junior College Athletic Association poll.

But after the season, his head coach moved on to Dodge City (Kan.) C.C.  Thomas, along with a few of his teammates, followed.

As a sophomore, he ran for 1,380 yards and 20 touchdowns, finishing fourth in the country in rushing yards per game and third in rushing touchdowns.  He posted 100 or more yards in each of the last eight contests, highlighted by a 39-carry, 258-yard performance against Scottsdale (Ariz.) C.C. in the Valley of the Sun Bowl, scoring four touchdowns.  This time, the recruiting calls were coming from South Florida, Purdue and Utah State.  As well as from a school that had just moved up to the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.

"South Alabama stuck with me from the time they first gave me an offer," Thomas explained.  "[Former assistant coach] John Turner would call me every day, and if I didn't answer he would leave me a voice mail; it was hard to ignore.  Any player will throw out the big names first in recruiting because it sounds like there is status behind it, but they stuck with me from the day of the first offer and I wanted to go to a place where I could make an impact.

"I kept praying about it and knew the right decision would come.  When I got here it felt like it was home, I wouldn't change my decision at all."

As much as his experiences at home helped shape Thomas into the person he is to this day, two years at two different junior colleges played a role as well.

"You're on your own out there," he said.  "You have coaches who care about you, but there are plenty of players.  A lot of times there is not a meal plan.  Nothing is given to you, you have to work for a lot of things.  You're moving into an apartment right out of high school, financial aid helps a little bit but your parents have to pay for a lot.  Going to a junior college will make something out of you."


(Commentator 1): "Quick slant is caught!  But he is down at the one yard line!  They better think quickly, no time outs left.  15, 14, 13, the ball is snapped, they go back to the same play but he isn't open."
(Commentator 2): "Uh oh."
(Commentator 1): "He throws it away with just four seconds left on the one!  This will surely be the last play of the game, I imagine they might try some sort of trick play." 
(Commentator 2): "A timeout by the defense will also give the Jags time to strategize.  I'll tell you what, this South Alabama team, I am impressed.  Win or lose, they have fought to this point. They deserve it."


His first year in Mobile, Thomas had to sit out, but it did provide several opportunities to better prepare for when he would be able to play in 2015.  "I didn't have to do scout team as much so I was able to have a full year to learn the plays and stay healthy.  I worked out extra in the weight room, though I should've been doing even more if you ask me.  I had been playing football every year since I started, I never took a year off.  That was a little different."

Last fall, he would play in all but one of the Jaguars' 12 games, finishing second on the team with 552 yards rushing while scoring a pair of touchdowns.  That included a season-best 88 yards in a Homecoming victory over Idaho, 84 yards at Texas State, 69 in a win over rival Troy and 58 to help USA beat its opponent in today's game, San Diego State.  Despite those accomplishments, Thomas didn't have a satisfied feeling at the end of the year.

"Last year was a tough year for me, but I stuck with the process," he stated.  "I had been out a year, I wasn't putting up the same numbers and then I was hurt."

The 2015 season got off to a better start for Thomas, however.  In the Jaguars' opener, a 21-20 win at Mississippi State for the program's first-ever victory over a Southeastern Conference opponent, he led the team with 83 yards on 10 carries.  His four-yard touchdown run with just under 13 minutes left in regulation drew South to within six points.  But it was his first carry of that drive — a 37-yard gain from the USA-1 in which he broke a pair of tackles to escape a safety — that Jag head coach Joey Jones believes exemplifies one of his best attributes as a running back.

"He's a great box runner, he makes people miss in the box," Jones observed.  "He doesn't have the speed necessarily to go 70 yards like Xavier [Johnson] may do, but he has a lot of eight- to 10-yard gains where he breaks tackles and makes people miss.  We feel like we have a great combination because our backs offer a variety of styles."

In addition to the physical traits Thomas brings to the field, Jaguar running backs coach Tim Bowens can also see the roots of Thomas' success in the foundation that was laid at home.

"The thing about Tyreis is that he is a kid who brings it every single day, he is probably one of the most consistent kids we have and is very disciplined," explained Bowens.  "He runs with great pad level, he has good size and can change direction, you really want to have him in the game and get the ball to him.  He does a great job in pass protection.  He has come a long way since day one when he stepped on this campus, he's done a great job of elevating his game."

Not only that, but Bowens has also noticed what Thomas has done off the field to establish himself as a leader his senior year.

"Tyreis will shoot me a text asking if our video guys can get the film up because usually once or twice a week he's home trying to watch practice before we watch it," said Bowens.  "He's not a 'rah-rah' kid.  A lot of people think he is not a leader because he doesn't say much, but I've watched him on the sideline often.  When a kid comes off the field after messing up a play or missing an assignment he'll obviously be disappointed in himself, but I will see Tyreis ease his way over to that kid and talk to him, tell him to keep his head up.  The kids respect what he says because he doesn't say a lot, and I think they listen to him because he brings it every day and tries to hold himself up to a high standard.

"If you're consistent and hold yourself accountable every day people will listen to you."


Thomas earned his undergraduate degree from South in May.  To better prepare for his future career, he is currently working on a second degree in English.  No matter how long he plays football beyond college, Thomas understands that — like his path to USA's program and the NCAA FBS level — he is likely to undergo a long journey to get to his ultimate destination.

"I think that's the hardest part, but the best way to approach it is to make sure to get a job — whether or not it is in that field — to save some money because a lot of times you start off using your own funds," he said.  "I'll reach out to newspapers to try and find a job where I will be able to branch out into bigger and better things in the future.  Sports writing is something I can relate to, but I have taken creative writing courses since high school; I really like the feel of being able to create my own story.  The long-term goal is to write books, maybe even scripts for movies."

"When you look at Tyreis what you see is a lot of character," Jones added.  "He came here with some good talent, but we didn't know that much about him until we got him here.  He will be a great success story when he leaves football — whenever that is — because of the kind of person he is.  He's very dependable, very level headed; a lot of our guys really respect him."


(Commentator 1): "Okay, here we go.  The Jaguars come out in a surprise formation, everyone for both teams looks to be praying on the sidelines. They shift the formation and everyone is brought in tight.  They are going to try to sneak it.  HE IS HELD UP; EVERYONE IS PUSHING, SO MANY BODIES FIGHTING.  The seniors pushing, each team fighting, they are waiting for the signal.  TOUCHDOWN!  TOUCHDOWN!  NO WAY!  WOW!  WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? TOUCHDOWN! JAGS WIN!"

That's a story all Jaguar fans want to see.  Written by a member of the program with aspirations of becoming an author when his playing days are done.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

—USA—