Ever since Joe Thomas came to the University of Wisconsin as a freshman last year, he has had praise given to him from almost every major figure in the program. Coming out of Brookfield Central in Brookfield, Wis., Thomas was a three-sport star, excelling on the basketball court and in track and field, as well as with the football team. Truth be told, Thomas believed it would be basketball that paid for his college education.
Thomas’ experience of playing a variety of sports in high school seemed to prepare him for the treatment he received as a freshman. Thomas spent time at a variety of positions for the Badgers, logging time as a blocking tight end in short-yardage situations and also some time on the offensive line, becoming the first true freshman offensive lineman to ever see playing time under Barry Alvarez.
“There aren’t many true freshmen that can play right away,” Alvarez said. “But the fact that we put [Thomas] in our jumbo tight end position last year and how well he played, he showed that he was ready. Really, he was ready at the end of last year. He has a chance to be one of the best linemen we’ve ever had. I certainly think he’s ready this year.”
Thomas even played defensive end against Auburn in the Music City Bowl and performed exceptionally well, recording seven assisted tackles.
This season however, Thomas will not be as much of a jack-of-all-trades, as he won the starting left tackle position coming into the season. Although Alvarez has hinted that Thomas will still see some time on the D-line, Thomas has finally found a permanent home on the team, leading the way for Anthony Davis and watching John Stocco’s blind side.
“He’s really done a good job. He has jumped in there and played with a bunch of older guys and he hasn’t missed a beat,” offensive line coach Jim Hueber said. “We had a plan that [starting him this year] was what we were going to do. We felt like with a year’s seasoning he would be ready to play. At one point in time we considered even doing it during the season just to give us a boost, but we decided that he was getting his feet wet at tight end and best not to disturb that.”
Although Thomas is the only new starter on this year’s line, he has had no problem gelling with the rest of the offensive line, as his experience last year at tight end put him in position to work with and begin communicating with last year’s starters.
“He was with those guys last year. He played with them in the field a bit at tight end, so he was familiar with those guys before this year,” Hueber said.
“The O-line, it’s a lot of communication and it’s a lot of knowing who is around you and knowing where they’re going to be on every play,” Thomas told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on the importance of chemistry and communication along the offensive line.
Thomas, who also throws shot putt for the UW track and field team, is as athletic a player as any you are likely to find. Considering he is 6-foot-7 and weighs in at 295 pounds, that is saying something. Thomas’ athleticism for a man his size is what has UW coaches’ jaws dropping and what has many saying that the sky is the limit for the young Badger.
“He is really a good athlete.” Hueber said. “He’s got athletic ability a lot of big men don’t have. He is 295 pounds and is 6-6 or 6-7 and has great feet. We’ve had a lot of good players come through here. But he’s the first guy we’ve really pushed as a true freshman to be involved rather than sit out the year and wait to take over as a sophomore.”
One of the attributes that has made Thomas so successful so early has been his superb balance. “He’s got a natural ability to play down and play under people and stay on his feet,” Hueber said. “That’s a big thing for a young guy to be able to stay on his feet, that’s really good.”
Using his athleticism, Thomas has become a lock at the left tackle position. Although the UW offense has come under fire recently for not carrying its share of the load, Thomas and the offensive line has continued to work hard along the line.
This was in full evidence when Anthony Davis made his grand reentrance to Camp Randall last week, picking up 213 yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns against Big Ten rival Illinois.
Thomas was as happy as anybody to finally see the Badgers offense flourish behind the work of him and the offensive line.
“Everybody’s been ragging on us the last four weeks, (saying) we’re not making the yards. It always comes back to the O-line. When you get a great back like that, it just makes everybody look better and gets the weight off your shoulders,” Thomas told the Journal-Sentinel after the game.
Heading into the Ohio State game this weekend, Wisconsin is looking for another stellar effort from its offense against the best defense they might see all season. It’s safe to say that Thomas will be at the forefront of all the action, doing his part to see Wisconsin through to a victory.