Mike Thomas obit

UNLV Football Legend Mike Thomas Passes Away

 

He was not on the list.

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – Mike Thomas, widely considered the greatest running back in UNLV football history, died on Friday at the age of 66 in his home state of Texas.

Thomas, a native of Greenville, Texas, transferred to UNLV from the University of Oklahoma and became Rebel football's only two-time first team All-American after his two dominant seasons in Las Vegas under head coach Ron Meyer. As a junior in 1973, he scored a school-record 20 touchdowns and led the nation in rushing yards with 1,741, which at the time was just 35 yards short of the NCAA single-season record. A year later, Thomas added 1,408 yards and 17 more rushing scores to lead the Rebels to their only undefeated regular season and a D-II ranking as high as No. 2 before losing in the national semifinal game.

Thomas turned in four of UNLV's six best rushing games, including a school-record 314 yards vs. Santa Clara in 1973. His career rushing mark of 3,149, compiled in just two years, was not surpassed until 2013 when Tim Cornett finished with 3,733. Last fall, Lexington Thomas finally broke Mike Thomas' record of 17 career 100-yard games with 18.

Thomas was selected in the fifth round of the 1975 NFL Draft (108th pick overall) by Washington and went on to earn the NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award after running for 919 yards for the Redskins. He followed that up with 1,101 yards rushing in 1976 when he was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl. Thomas' NFL career lasted six total seasons, including the last two with the San Diego Chargers. As a pro, he finished with 4,196 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground to go with 192 receptions for 2,011 yards and 11 more scores through the air.

In his fourth season in 1978 under first-year head coach Jack Pardee, the Redskins won their first six games. Thomas injured his ankle in that sixth game and sat out the next three games. Washington lost eight of the last ten games to finish at 8–8 (.500) and missed the playoffs.

Thomas was inducted into the UNLV Rebels Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989

Funeral services are planned for Saturday at the Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston. A memorial service is also set for Sept. 6 at Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville.