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University of Minnesota Athletics
Under the Helmet: Miles Thomas
9/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Typical kids in junior high might come home from school and play video games or turn on the television - not Miles Thomas. It all started when Thomas was in eighth grade when he was asked to help out with the family business of trucking in Downs, Kan.
"My dad always had workers, but my three older brothers and I would get roped into doing the maintenance and stuff like that," Thomas said. "My brothers started when they were freshmen washing out trailers. They showed me the ropes and let me do all the dirtier work because I was younger. I feel like it has shaped me into a hard worker."
It was then that the now senior fullback realized how hard he would need to work to accomplish his dreams. Thomas took that effort and approached the game of football the same way.
Thomas played eight-man football for the high school in Downs where he rushed for 1,760 yards and 30 touchdowns on 166 carries from the fullback position. His performance between the lines grabbed the attention of the coaching staff of Butler Community College where Thomas eventually decided to enroll.
All the early success didn't come easy. Thomas dedicated a lot of his time to the weight room, when he wasn't helping out at home.
"I've always loved to lift," said Thomas. "It's helped me out with my game and made me get bigger, faster and stronger."
The countless hours spent in the weight room paid off as Thomas won back-to-back state powerlifting crowns. During his first title run, he benched 285 pounds, cleaned 300 pounds and squatted 450 pounds. As a senior, he benched 310 pounds, cleaned 335 and had a 500-pound squat.
The coaching staff at Butler saw just how strong Thomas was and envisioned his role to something a little more traditional for a fullback - blocking.
This came as a bit of a shock for Thomas, since he was used to having the ball in his hands throughout his high school career.
"We ran a traditional I-formation," stated Thomas. "Sometimes the back would be offset. I was the fullback but still got all the carries. I rarely ever blocked."
Despite the lack of carries at Butler, Thomas embraced his new job and that helped with his recruitment to come to the University of Minnesota.
"Butler has had pretty good fullbacks in the past and [Minnesota] needed a fullback, so Coach Kill went and looked and I was also looking for a school, so it all worked out for everybody," said Thomas.
It certainly has worked out for both parties. Last season, Thomas' first for the Gophers, David Cobb broke the school's single-season rushing record with Thomas as his lead blocker. Though he never received the glitz and glamour from aiding the record-breaking performance, he did receive high praise from his head coach.
"Miles does a great job," said head coach Jerry Kill. "He's a very good athlete and a hard-working kid; hard-nosed and tough."
With that admiration from the man leading the charge, Thomas personifies the mold of a "Coach Kill recruit."
"I feel like I'm a pretty tough kid," said Thomas. "I got my butt beat by my brothers growing up, but I feel like I'm pretty tough and kind of a dirtbag, a Kansas boy from a small town that doesn't mind getting dirty."
Playing with a chip on his shoulder, Thomas has kept the faith in accomplishing his goals. The word "sacrifice" has been instrumental in the senior's development.
"I've always wanted to go Division-I," said Thomas. "That was my dream since I was a little guy. I'd sacrifice a lot of my time to go lift instead of going out with my buddies."
Though he has already made it the top level of college football, he's not satisfied and has aspirations to make it to the professional ranks.
"To make it to the next level is a huge goal for me," said Thomas. "I feel like I'm on a good way to making it there. I work hard in the weight room with my free time and work on the small things in the film room."
If the dream to be a player in the NFL fails to materialize, Thomas has his eyes on continuing to compete, but in a different professional realm.
"If football comes up short, then I want to stay in that competitive world," Thomas said. "As an athlete, if my body feels good and I'm done playing then I'll keep it going. I thought about doing body building or power lifting."
Whether he chooses to take his talents to the next level or not, with his hard work and drive, one thing is for certain: he's going to succeed.
