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Alex
Khvatov:
What
are your measurements (height, weight and forty
time)?
Phillip Thomas:
6’1, 210, 4.50.
Alex
Khvatov:
What
made you choose Fresno State when you were coming
out of high school?
Phillip Thomas:
It was mainly because of the coaching staff. They
really cared for me. It was close to home. It
wouldn’t be hard for me to get back to family. I
love the competition that they play against.
Alex
Khvatov:
How difficult was it for you to miss last season
with an injury and see your team struggle?
Phillip Thomas:
It was very difficult for me. It was pretty
devastating for me for awhile. I was pretty
depressed. Every week, I would go to the games and
watch from the sidelines. I just wished that I was
out there with my teammates. It was difficult to
see them struggle out there. It was also difficult
to see them play and have fun because I wasn’t a
part of it on the field.
Alex
Khvatov:
Describe your senior season to us from a team and
individual standpoint so far.
Phillip Thomas:
From a team standpoint, it is not done yet. But I
am happy with where we are at. We are in control of
our destiny as far as winning the conference.
Individually, I feel that I am having a great
season. I am happy with the plays that I have
made. I have made those plays because of my
teammates. I am not the only one out there on the
field. I am just excited to have all of these plays
and all of these interceptions. It has just been
amazing this year.
Alex
Khvatov:
You lead the nation with seven interceptions thus
far, how proud are you of that accomplishment?
Phillip Thomas:
I am really proud, man. It comes from being coached
by Tim McDonald. He has been teaching us things in
the secondary. We have been getting our hands on
the ball this year and making plays. It is a good
title to have in leading the nation in
interceptions. I never thought that I would have
that title. I feel great about it.
Alex
Khvatov:
What
is the highlight of your career up to this point?
Phillip Thomas:
Up to this point, it has been this year. I missed
last year with an injury. My sophomore season was
alright, but I was young. My senior season has been
amazing for me. I have been having fun. I have
been happy to be back out there on the field. I
have been making a lot of plays on the field.
Alex
Khvatov:
What
are your strengths?
Phillip Thomas:
I am a safety that does everything pretty well. I
feel that I cover like a corner and I still come
down into the box and deliver a hit. The way I move
my feet for a big guy is corner like in a sense. I
think that I have a lot of upside in my coverage
ability.
Alex Khvatov:
What areas of your game do you
need to improve upon?
Phillip Thomas:
Open field tackling. I feel that I stand too high
in the open field. I need to sink my hips a little
bit more against the ball carrier. I just need to
make a good tackle in the open field.
Alex
Khvatov:
What separates you from all of the other players at
your position?
Phillip Thomas:
Knowing the game. I understand what’s happening out
there on the field. I feel that I am a student of
the game. I know the game very well.
Alex
Khvatov:
Describe your teammate junior QB Derek Carr.
Phillip Thomas:
He is an outstanding guy on and off-the-field. He
is a student of the game. He is always studying
film. He is always asking me about different
coverages and what defenses are trying to do. He
has amazing arm strength. He can make any type of
throw on the field. He is also a good runner.
Alex
Khvatov:
What
do you enjoy most about playing college football?
Phillip Thomas:
I enjoy traveling. You get a chance to go all
around the world. You have the chance to go to
different cities and experience those things. Not
many people get a chance to travel like us. You put
in a lot of work, but I get to see a lot of
different areas in the world. It is pretty cool.
Alex
Khvatov:
What
is your definition of a leader?
Phillip Thomas:
A leader is a person that can give orders, but can
also take them. It is someone who leads by
example. A leader has to know how to follow at
times. It is someone that can call someone out, but
can also take it like a man when they are being
called out.
Alex
Khvatov:
What
are your hobbies?
Phillip Thomas:
Away from the football field, I like to go to my
friend’s house and my teammates’ houses. I like to
play video games. We put in a lot of hours on the
football field. So when I am away, I feel that I am
really away from football. I just relax and chill.
I go and have fun.
Alex
Khvatov:
Finish
the sentence, Phillip Thomas is….
Phillip Thomas:
A goofy, really funny guy that smiles a lot
off-the-field. But when I get in-between those
white lines on Saturday, I am a maniac. I go
crazy. I am fierce and I play like a totally
different person. |