Star QB ready to become a Rebel

John Robinson thought he had a future Heisman Trophy candidate when he recruited Jason Thomas to USC two years ago.

But Robinson never got a chance to coach the 6-5, 230-pound lefthanded quarterback from Compton's Dominguez High School, as Trojan athletic director Mike Garrett decided to fire Robinson following a 6-5 campaign in 1997.

Now it appears Robinson and Thomas will finally hook up at UNLV.

Thomas and his father, Charles, were scheduled to meet with Garrett and Trojan football coach Paul Hackett this morning at Heritage Hall to ask for Jason's unconditional release from USC.

Jason Thomas, who redshirted last season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle to remove scar tissue, felt he was not going to get a fair chance to compete with sophomore Carson Palmer for the starting job this spring as Hackett had promised him earlier.

Thomas had skipped USC's last two spring workouts on Tuesday and Thursday because of what Hackett called a "hamstring problem." In reality, the former Parade All-American and unanimous Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West selection was seething over having been switched to wide receiver and returning punts during the Trojans' first two spring workouts.

"That was the final straw," Charles Thomas said. "If he wanted to play wide receiver or defense, he'd stay at USC. But he wants to play quarterback. That's always been his dream. But he didn't feel he would get an equal chance to play quarterback at USC with Palmer there.

"This is the time for Jason to leave, not after he's played a year and only has two years (of eligibility) left."

As for the supposed hamstring injury, Charles Thomas said, "That's bogus. Jason was at Dominguez today running 40-yard dashes with a parachute sled. He told (USC quarterback coach) Ken O'Brien on Monday he was leaving. Hackett should have just told the truth and told (reporters) that Jason wanted to transfer."

Thomas, who has been timed at 4.52 in the 40 and can throw the football 80 yards, was considered by many as the top high school athlete to come out of Southern California in over a decade. He also was a standout in basketball, twice earning all-state honors and excelling three years at the prestigious Nike All-American Basketball Camp in Indianapolis. Student Sports Magazine named Thomas the California state sophomore and junior athlete of year in 1996 and 1997.

Thomas picked USC over Nebraska out of high school but he is expected to follow Robinson to UNLV. He and his brother, Charles, attended UNLV's first spring practice on March 20.

"I think he'd have a great opportunity at UNLV," his father, Charles Thomas said. "That's because the guy who recruited him (Robinson) to USC is there. They're the frontrunner."

But why go from USC to 0-11 UNLV?

"Because of the opportunity," Charles Thomas said.

"You've got to have a chance to show the pros what you can do in college. And Jason doesn't want to show them that he can return punts or turn a short slant into a touchdown. He wants to show them he can play quarterback.

"He'd not only get a chance to succeed at quarterback there, but also a chance to fail, too. He never would have gotten that chance at USC because Palmer is Hackett's guy. That's (Hackett's) right. But it's also our right to go where we feel Jason is going to get treated fairly, too."

Charles Thomas said he didn't anticipate any problems obtaining the release from USC despite the fact it is well known Garrett and Robinson are not exactly the best of friends.

"He's not going to be held hostage," Charles Thomas said.

"We've mentioned the subject of transferring before with Garrett and Hackett and they both said it wouldn't be a problem. Garrett said it would be crazy to fight something like that. If they did, they'd be surprised how hard it would be to recruit another kid from the inner city to USC again."

Per NCAA transfer rules, Thomas would have to sit out the 1999 season at UNLV. He would then have three years of eligibility remaining.

archive