Mt. SAC’s Lester Thomas hoping for Tennessee or Utah State

On my August 8 article, Unveiling the 2009 Mt. SAC Football Playmakers Part I, I mentioned that Mt. SAC wide receiver Lester Thomas was interested in going to Tennessee, BYU, UCLA, Utah, Texas, LSU, Georgia, Clemson and Hawaii.

PHOTO BY JAMES CHOY - Mounties wide receiver Lester Thomas leaps a high pass for a touchdown during a scrimmage at Mt. SAC.

I met with Thomas after practice this afternoon and spent some time making conversation and talking to him about the season and his future. Thomas said that despite the schools that he’s mentioned interested in going to, he is open minded and willing to go wherever he can make noise.

Thomas did mention that he has made dialogue with his former teammates Matt Austin and Nick Lamaison. Thomas had spoken to both to see if their respective schools, Utah State and Tennessee, would take interest in him.

Personally, if Thomas is sought by either school, he will be an extraordinary asset. His hands are like glue. He is all-business on the field and when given the ball, he’s effective and a plus in the offense.

Having him reunited with Austin on the wideouts will provide a lethal offensive attack much like the way both combined for yardage and touchdowns in 2007.

If not that, if Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin can provide a system built for 2010 in which Lamaison (should he see playing time) and Thomas reunite (as they had many a time in practices), the Mt. SAC connection would be established out yonder in orangeville.

Thomas’ reign with Austin and Utah’s Aiona Key back in 2007 with UCLA’s Kevin Craft was proof that the Mounties had an offense that was as lethal as any Division I college team. With the 4,400+ yards obtained by Craft at Mt. SAC, it was no fluke that the three receivers combined were effective and useful for Craft to utilize in the type of offense his father Tom created for the Mounties.

With Craft’s unfortunate year last season leading UCLA to a record 20 interceptions, Thomas puts no blame to Craft but to the receivers.

“The receivers are mainly the problem with why Craft hasn’t completed his passes,” Thomas said. “There’s only one receiver in the Bruins that’s tall enough to effectively catch his throws.”

I’m realizing that the type of offense that’s drawn for Craft is not made for him to be fully effective. If with a different kind of offense, having a Lester Thomas or a Matt Austin or even an Aiona Key receiver would be favorable for Craft as was in 2007.

Thomas is the last of the three great ’07 receivers in this year’s team. While the stats indicate very little of what he’s done, the Florida product is ready to to contribute for this Saturday’s game against Saddleback.

“I’m ready,” he said. “I’m going to work out hard and do everything to help the offense.”

Get all the info on Mt. SAC football at http://athletics.mtsac.edu.