Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Thomas prides himself on being a professional
7/1/2020 5:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO — DQ Thomas slips his beats on over his ears, straps his gloves up and heads out of the tunnel onto the turf at Floyd Stadium. As the music kicks on, he shuts his eyes and begins his routine.
As the veteran linebacker pops up off the turf from stretching he gazes into the stands, looking for his mother: Agrecia. About 10 rows up, she stands up with a smile and waves at her son from the same seat she's been sitting in since his freshman year. Thomas smiles back and waves. Mentally, he is at peace. Physically, he's ready to wreak havoc on the opposing offense.
From his days playing ball as a child in Oxford, Mississippi, to suiting up for the Blue Raiders, it's the approach his mom's helped teach him to take toward the game and life.
"Seeing my family at the game always put me at ease," Thomas said. "Before kickoff, I always look up and wave at my mom. Once I see her there, I know everything's good. I play for her and do my best to always make her proud."
Thomas plays the game with class, professionalism, speed and smarts. It's how some of Middle Tennessee's most talented linebackers such as DJ Sanders, Darius Harris and Khalil Brooks did before him. It's the same mannerisms his mother instilled in him as a young child. Because of these attributes, Thomas has a chance to surpass some of his former teammates in the MTSU record book as he begins his senior season.
The six-foot-two linebacker spends countless hours in the weight room and film room, being a student of the game and devoting long hours to perfecting his craft. Behind the scenes, what people don't know about the speedy linebacker, is that he puts in all those hours to be the ultimate teammate and professional, to be the man that makes his mother proud. Being that man has put him in position to move his name up even higher in the Blue Raider record book.
"As a young guy, he learned from his teammates and carries himself like a pro," Middle Tennessee linebacker coach Siriki Diabate said. "Everyone respects him. He works his tail off and helps everyone understand what it takes to be successful. He approaches the game the same way that he does since he was a freshman and he's always hungry to continue getting better."
As Thomas approaches his senior year, he will be looked upon as a leader on a defense that is losing a total of six starters from last year. Sure, the Mississippi native isn't the guy that's going to get in your grill and fire you up with an epic speech, but his leadership by example and doing things the right way is something that was instilled in him at a young age by his family. That quality is perhaps more important than any other that's led to his success.
"DQ leads by example," Diabate said. "He wants guys to look at him so that he can show them the right way to do things. He's very good at guiding the young guys and pointing them in the right direction. He's not afraid to put an arm around them and give them advice that he got from his teammates when he was a young guy."
The professional approach Thomas takes toward the game has led to his proactive play on the field. Before the snap, fans have become accustomed to seeing him quarterback the front seven, getting them in position to make plays in the run game and put pressure on in the pass game. More often than not, you'll see number 20 scream off the edge and make a huge stop in the backfield on third down to stall a drive. It's what he thrives on most, as he currently sits ninth all-time in school history in tackles for loss with 29 and eighth in school history in sacks with 12.
The way he carries himself on the field is by the same example set by some of the greats that came before him. Whether it was making an impact as an inside linebacker like DJ Sanders and Darius Harris did or exceling as an edge rusher opposite from Khalil Brooks, Thomas has the toolbox to perhaps become the best of all his aforementioned teammates. The downhill, physical style of play coupled with the smarts have helped Thomas craft a career that has been fun to watch through his first three seasons.
"It means a lot to be mentioned in the same breath as (some of my old teammates)," Thomas said. "I thank those guys so much for competing with me and teaching me how to play the game and how to go about life as a professional. Because of them, I can share my experience and some of the details I've picked up from them with some of the younger guys. I always try to tell them things that I wish that people would've told me coming up.
"At the end of the day, though, football will only take you so far. What means most to me is the relationships I've been able to build and the people I've met along the way. I hope that when people look back at me they say 'He was a well-rounded young man.' At the end of the day, I just really want to make my mama proud and do my best to love everybody."
Off the field, Thomas' coaches and teammates hold him in the highest regard as not only a teammate, but a family member. It's an honor that means more than that of any record he will likely break this season, and it's an honor that will create a lasting legacy for him as he enjoys one more season of looking into the stands to wave at his mother, who is definitely proud of the career her son's had thus far. It's an honor that he most certainly will go about as the humble-professional that he is. He'll do everything the same way he's always done it: Dre Beats on, eyes closed and focused as he comes out of the tunnel. But, don't mistake that professionalism as weakness, or the 220-pound linebacker might deliver one of his signature bone-crushing stops in the backfield to ignite the Blue Raider faithful into a frenzy.
Anthony Fiorella is a writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @a_fiorella74 and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
As the veteran linebacker pops up off the turf from stretching he gazes into the stands, looking for his mother: Agrecia. About 10 rows up, she stands up with a smile and waves at her son from the same seat she's been sitting in since his freshman year. Thomas smiles back and waves. Mentally, he is at peace. Physically, he's ready to wreak havoc on the opposing offense.
From his days playing ball as a child in Oxford, Mississippi, to suiting up for the Blue Raiders, it's the approach his mom's helped teach him to take toward the game and life.
"Seeing my family at the game always put me at ease," Thomas said. "Before kickoff, I always look up and wave at my mom. Once I see her there, I know everything's good. I play for her and do my best to always make her proud."
Thomas plays the game with class, professionalism, speed and smarts. It's how some of Middle Tennessee's most talented linebackers such as DJ Sanders, Darius Harris and Khalil Brooks did before him. It's the same mannerisms his mother instilled in him as a young child. Because of these attributes, Thomas has a chance to surpass some of his former teammates in the MTSU record book as he begins his senior season.
The six-foot-two linebacker spends countless hours in the weight room and film room, being a student of the game and devoting long hours to perfecting his craft. Behind the scenes, what people don't know about the speedy linebacker, is that he puts in all those hours to be the ultimate teammate and professional, to be the man that makes his mother proud. Being that man has put him in position to move his name up even higher in the Blue Raider record book.
"As a young guy, he learned from his teammates and carries himself like a pro," Middle Tennessee linebacker coach Siriki Diabate said. "Everyone respects him. He works his tail off and helps everyone understand what it takes to be successful. He approaches the game the same way that he does since he was a freshman and he's always hungry to continue getting better."
As Thomas approaches his senior year, he will be looked upon as a leader on a defense that is losing a total of six starters from last year. Sure, the Mississippi native isn't the guy that's going to get in your grill and fire you up with an epic speech, but his leadership by example and doing things the right way is something that was instilled in him at a young age by his family. That quality is perhaps more important than any other that's led to his success.
"DQ leads by example," Diabate said. "He wants guys to look at him so that he can show them the right way to do things. He's very good at guiding the young guys and pointing them in the right direction. He's not afraid to put an arm around them and give them advice that he got from his teammates when he was a young guy."
The professional approach Thomas takes toward the game has led to his proactive play on the field. Before the snap, fans have become accustomed to seeing him quarterback the front seven, getting them in position to make plays in the run game and put pressure on in the pass game. More often than not, you'll see number 20 scream off the edge and make a huge stop in the backfield on third down to stall a drive. It's what he thrives on most, as he currently sits ninth all-time in school history in tackles for loss with 29 and eighth in school history in sacks with 12.
The way he carries himself on the field is by the same example set by some of the greats that came before him. Whether it was making an impact as an inside linebacker like DJ Sanders and Darius Harris did or exceling as an edge rusher opposite from Khalil Brooks, Thomas has the toolbox to perhaps become the best of all his aforementioned teammates. The downhill, physical style of play coupled with the smarts have helped Thomas craft a career that has been fun to watch through his first three seasons.
"It means a lot to be mentioned in the same breath as (some of my old teammates)," Thomas said. "I thank those guys so much for competing with me and teaching me how to play the game and how to go about life as a professional. Because of them, I can share my experience and some of the details I've picked up from them with some of the younger guys. I always try to tell them things that I wish that people would've told me coming up.
"At the end of the day, though, football will only take you so far. What means most to me is the relationships I've been able to build and the people I've met along the way. I hope that when people look back at me they say 'He was a well-rounded young man.' At the end of the day, I just really want to make my mama proud and do my best to love everybody."
Off the field, Thomas' coaches and teammates hold him in the highest regard as not only a teammate, but a family member. It's an honor that means more than that of any record he will likely break this season, and it's an honor that will create a lasting legacy for him as he enjoys one more season of looking into the stands to wave at his mother, who is definitely proud of the career her son's had thus far. It's an honor that he most certainly will go about as the humble-professional that he is. He'll do everything the same way he's always done it: Dre Beats on, eyes closed and focused as he comes out of the tunnel. But, don't mistake that professionalism as weakness, or the 220-pound linebacker might deliver one of his signature bone-crushing stops in the backfield to ignite the Blue Raider faithful into a frenzy.
Anthony Fiorella is a writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @a_fiorella74 and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
Players Mentioned
LB
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