Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 38 Days (Conner Thomas)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

#38

It may be the dog days of summer but the Hoosier Huddle Countdown is still hard at work getting you ready for the 2017 season by profiling each and every player on the roster. It’s now only 38 days left until IU takes on the consensus top five Ohio State Buckeyes under the lights at Memorial Stadium. Today’s profile features a look at walk-on running back Connor Thomas.

Connor Thomas

-Height: 5’8”

-Weight: 184 lbs.

-Hometown: Clarksville, TE (Clarksville Academy)

-Position: RB

As we’ve shared many times during our countdown, walk-ons are a meaningful part of any successful football program. If we didn’t think they mattered, we wouldn’t spend any time on each of them. They provide practice reps for opponent preparation and help develop scholarship players. There are also times when a walk-on performs well enough and works hard enough to earn playing time, particularly if a position is besieged by injuries. The position of running back has had a couple of notable walk-ons that have contributed very valuably in the past couple of seasons as Alex Rodriguez and Ricky Brookins have both stepped in and filled roles.

Today’s countdown piece focuses on another walk-on running back in Tennessee-native Connor Thomas. Thomas joined the IU program after a successful career at Clarksville Academy in Clarksville, Tennessee. He was a linebacker and running back and finished his career with 21 touchdowns on the ground and 14 as a pass catcher. He had 25 total touchdowns as a senior and was a two-time all-area selection and the 2015 team MVP. Even more impressively, Thomas was a member of the National Honor Society and a national scholar-athlete honoree. He walked-on to the IU program during the 2016 season and redshirted the season, making him a redshirt freshman for the 2017 season.

The Hoosiers have a very deep backfield this season. Camion Patrick will be the starter and veterans Devonte Williams and Mike Majette are expected to back him up. Cole Gest and Tyler Natee both figure to factor into the mix and it would not be at all surprising to see Gest carve out a role as a dependable backup while Natee could be a punishing short-yardage and goal-line back. Ricky Brookins and Alex Rodriguez are both still on the roster and they’ve had success when called upon. The incoming freshman class has a pair of talented guys coming in as well. Running back is a tough position and having depth in the backfield is essential for every program, particularly one playing in the rugged Big Ten. It would not be the wildest thing to happen if Thomas found the field due to a major amount of attrition later in the season. IU is pretty well-stocked depth wise for the 2018 season as well but if Thomas keeps working and improving, he could end up having a similar role to what Rodriguez and Brookins have carved out for themselves by the time he is a redshirt junior and senior.

Please share any comments or thoughts in the comments section or in our message board. The countdown continues each and every day so make sure to check Hoosier Huddle daily as we churn towards the 2017 season!