Thomas is Herald Newspaper Offensive Sophomore of the Year

Certainly, there are a number of quality 11th-grade football players on the county’s gridiron scene who will be back to help their respective team push for a championship in 2007. All five prep teams from sprawling Sevier County boasts at least one current junior who could potentially grab regional headlines next fall as one of the best players in East Tennessee. Perhaps the returning county player with the biggest shoes to fill, however, is just a current sophomore—Sevier County tailback Tyler Thomas. Thomas, who split time at running back this past season primarily with senior Blake Wallace, appears to be in position to be the greatest benefactor of the graduation of much of the Smoky Bears’ offensive production from 2006. SCHS Athletics Director Todd Loveday also serves as the Smoky Bears’ defensive backs coach. Loveday has seen enough of Thomas to feel comfortable with putting that much responsibility on an underclassman. “Tyler’s a special kid,” said Loveday. “The first thing that impressed me with Tyler was his practice habits. He’s always full-speed whether it is in practice or in games. I think his good practice habits carry over to games.” The list of departing seniors could bring a sick feeling to the stomach of Sevier County fans when looking it over and considering next year’s squad’s potential for success. All-everything quarterback Corey Watson accounted for 1273 yards and a total of 12 touchdowns during the team’s 8-2 regular season. Wallace accounted for 530 yards and six TDs. Senior receivers James Feezel and Trey Pippen combined for 63 catches, 1,009 yards and nine touchdowns in regular season play. It appears the man of the future though for the Smoky Bears’ offense will be none other than Thomas, the Herald Newspaper’s Offensive Sophomore of the Year. Along with fellow tailback Shawn Hodge, Thomas will return to Sevier County’s offensive backfield to help carry the load and fill the large void left by the before-mentioned graduating players. It will be a gigantic responsibility for the young speedster, no doubt. Loveday believes the shifty tailback has the ability to hit the ground running next year if he’s called upon be a leader on or off the field for the Smoky Bears. “Well, I know he knows what to do when he gets the ball,” Loveday commented. “Some of the stuff he does is stuff that you can’t coach. He’s just a good kid that will do anything you ask of him.” Thomas has been chosen as a tailback on the inaugural Herald Newspapers All-County Football Team for 2006, however, for his achievements as a ball-carrier this past season. Listed on the preseason Sevier County roster at just 5-foot-7, 170-pounds, Thomas made his case to be considered as the Smoky Bears’ featured tailback next year by rushing for a team-high 668 yards on 92 carries during the 10-game regular season for an average of 7.3 yards a carry. Despite his relatively small physical stature, Thomas was oftentimes among his team’s top options when the Sevier County offense reached inside the red-zone—or purple zone as the Smoky Bears might say—as evidenced by his 11 rushing touchdowns. Thomas’ rushing touchdown total eclipsed even that of Watson, a player destined to go down as one of the finest ever to don a SCHS uniform, who finished the regular season with nine rushing touchdowns. “He has a nose for the end zone,” Loveday said of Thomas. “The lineman blocked for him great, and he’d be the first one to tell you that, but he does have a way of getting into the end zone. “It seems like he always makes somebody miss, even after he get by the line of scrimmage. He’s always leaning forward and looking for the end zone.” With the departure of the senior receivers, Thomas will also be a likely threat in the Smoky Bears’ passing game. He was on the receiving end of a Watson pass on 10 different occasions in ’06, compiling a total of 81 yards. Loveday said that Thomas appears to have grown since the preseason measurements were done on his height and weight. He said Thomas also has worked to improve his speed after running a preseason 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds.