Within the goals set by a team and a specific position group, football players set individual goals for themselves. There are certain things each player hopes to accomplish throughout the course of a season.
Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas is no different.
“Yeah, I think about it all the time,” Thomas said this spring when asked about the potential of having a 1,000-yard season. “It’s definitely what I want, but I wouldn’t say a 1,000 — 1,000-plus.”
It’s certainly not a farfetched idea for Thomas.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound redshirt junior will without question be the Buckeyes’ No. 1 target in 2015. Thomas led Ohio State in catches during its national championship season with 54 and was second on the team to Devin Smith in yards. Thomas had 799 receiving yards to Smith’s 931.
| YEAR | PLAYER | YARDS |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Devin Smith | 931 |
| 2013 | Philly Brown | 771 |
| 2012 | Philly Brown | 667 |
| 2011 | Devin Smith | 294 |
| 2010 | Dane Sanzenbacher | 948 |
| 2009 | DeVier Posey | 828 |
| 2008 | Brian Robiskie | 535 |
| 2007 | Brian Robiskie | 935 |
| 2006 | Ted Ginn Jr. | 781 |
| 2005 | Santonio Holmes | 903 |
| 2004 | Santonio Holmes | 769 |
| 2003 | Michael Jenkins | 834 |
| 2002 | Michael Jenkins | 1,076 |
Thomas certainly has all of the athletic skills, too. He’s as good of a well-rounded receiver as Ohio State has had over recent years with the perfect combination of size and speed. Should he choose to declare for the NFL Draft following the 2015 season, he’ll likely be an early round selection and could play himself into the first round with another productive year.
But there’s one thing standing in the way of Thomas reaching that 1,000-yard mark: history.
Ohio State has only had four wide receivers in the history of the program go for 1,000 yards in a season: David Boston (1,435 in 1998); Terry Glenn (1,411 in 1995); Cris Carter (1,127 in 1986); and Michael Jenkins (1,076 in 2002).
Jenkins’ 1,076-yard effort in the 2002 season was the last time a Buckeyes’ wideout topped the 1,000-yard plateau. It’s kind of stunning, really, especially for a program which has had nine wide receivers drafted in the last 10 years.
But Thomas certainly possesses all of the tools necessary to break the 12-year drought.
“I’m going to tell you right now Mike Thomas is a superior player,” said Ohio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs, who watches his unit go up against Thomas every day in practice. “He is superior.”
Thomas certainly doesn’t shy away from the situation, either. He’s confident in his ability, as many receivers are.
Will that translate to an even more successful season on the field, though? That remains to be seen, but Thomas insists he’s ready for the opportunity of being the Buckeyes’ No. 1 target.
“I feel like the whole time I was getting ready for this type of moment, this situation,” Thomas said. “Over the years, watching, sitting down, I just had to stay patient and keep working.”
