Stopping Thomas key for FSU
BLACKSBURG, Va. — As the cornerback sprints downfield, using an arm to check the receiver who cuts into a route, his eyes begin tomove.
Back near the line of scrimmage, the large, yet stunningly quick quarterback has escaped the pocket. As he holds the ball with both hands near his right ear, he has a split- second to make a crucial decision. Should I pass? Should I run?
Eyes dancing back and forth between the massive signal- caller and his eager receiver, the corner has his own important choice to consider: stay with the pass- catcher, or drop down on the broken play and be the first to deliver a helmet- jarring, chin- strap- snapping blowto the bold scrambler?
Such thoughts will play out often in the minds of Florida State’s defensive players Thursday night at Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium, as they make similar spur- of- the- moment judgments concerning tracking Hokies quarter back Logan Thomas. Built like a defensive end with the speed and tackle- breaking ability of a fullback, Thomas is a dual- threat player who has caused numerous headaches for opposing defenses the last two years.
The No. 10 Seminoles ( 8- 1, 5- 1 ACC) are hopeful theywon’t join that list.
“He’s a huge, huge quarterback,” EJManuel, FSU’s 6- foot- 5, 235- pound signal- caller,
said of his Virginia Tech ( 4- 5, 2- 3) counterpart. Manuel stands an inch shorter than Thomas and weighs about 25 pounds less.
Of Thomas, Manuel added: “He can throwthe ball a mile, has great speed and good quickness for his size. But I know our defense is going to be prepared for him. They know what he brings to the table as far as his athletic ability.”
Thomas enters Thursday’s game having passed for 2,109 yards and rushed for 422 more this season. The junior is just 87 yards shy of rushing for 1,000 yards in his career. He also needs one more touchdown to send his career total to 50. Lastweek, inan18- pointloss at Miami, he passed for 199 yards and had 73- yard touchdownrun.
In an offense that features multiple playmaking threats, Thomas is its biggestweapon.
“We don’t really look into shutting any [ one player] down. We want to shut the whole offense down, you know what I mean?” FSU linebacker Vince Williams said. “We key in on the whole offense, and we have a set of objectives thatwe try to reach, and by reaching those objectives, we shut down those guys in the process.”
Regardless its approach with Thomas, FSU’s topranked defense has shut down the biggest stars on the teams it has played this season.
“When you go up against other great offensive players on that side of the ball, your pride just wants to take over,” FSUlinebacker Christian Jones said.
In order to stop Thomas whenheescapes the pocket, the Seminoles are going to retain the same defensive approach they have had under third- year defensive coordinator Mark Stoops. Their swarming, gangtackle philosophy has to take rootThursday.
If a situation arises where adefenderfinds himselfmanoa- mano with Thomas, he might be smart to take cornerback NickWaisome’s advice.
“You just have to take it,” Waisome said. “You just go in with all your might and you say, ‘ OK, I know he’s coming. I know he’s lowering his shoulder.’ I feel like then you can get a good lick on him.”