The most anticipated debut of freshman running back Roc Thomas is less than a day away. Thomas came in No. 16 on SDS’s list of the SEC’s top impact freshman. Auburn fans want that impact to happen right away and it just might.
There was little doubt that Alabama’s Mr. Football was coming to the Plains. The five-star recruit from Oxford, Alabama chose Auburn before the 2013 season started. He proceed to rush for 2,211 yards and 32 touchdowns his senior year, finishing his career with more than 5,500 yards and 76 touchdowns.
“I feel like I can come out of the backfield and do a lot of great things in this offense. I have good hands, good speed and good balance,” Thomas said when he signed. “They can send me on routes and I can catch the ball.”
“He was the top running back on our guy’s board,” Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said after Thomas’ signing was official. “Our offensive staff identified him early and they recruited him extremely hard. A key to this class. He was very loyal to us. He could’ve went anywhere and he chose to not. He stayed with us and we really feel like he has the ability to come in immediately and make an impact.”
Arkansas will be the first opponent to see Thomas’ ability. Yes, Auburn knows what they have in game-proven seniors Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant. While the consensus is that Artis-Payne and Grant will battle the first couple of games for the most carries, Thomas has too much talent not to see the field.
“He’s really a good student of the game. He’s learned it well,” running back coach Tim Horton said. “One of the most pleasing things…..is he’s really hasn’t had mental mistakes and for a true freshman, getting thrown the whole playbook fairly early, I’ve been real pleased with that.”
Eyes opened when Thomas busted a 15-yard touchdown during a scrimmage the second week of fall camp.
“He’s big, so he thinks he can run everybody over,” receiver Tony Stevens told AL.com “That’s what I like, though.”
“Roc Thomas is everything we thought.” Malzahn said during his Monday during his weekly radio show. You put the ball in his hands he can do some special things. He has that B button, you know, the video game has that B button. He can turn, twist and keep balanced and all that.”
Worked in online, print, TV and radio. Bobby Valentine once wore a pair of my socks for 8 hours. In an awkward exchange, he handed them back to me to which they were immediately deposited in a trash can.
