One of the standouts in Clemson’s spring game Saturday was Domonique Thomas.
The redshirt junior running back was the leading rusher in the game and got his chance to shine with star running back Will Shipley being held out as a precaution.
Last year, Thomas rushed just seven times for 31 yards over four games during his first season with the Tigers.
But on Saturday, the 5-foot-8, 215-pounder – who has earned the nickname “Quadzilla” from his teammates and coaches – received 14 carries and made the most of them while impressing with a game-high 63 rushing yards, including a game-long 20-yard run and a 2-yard touchdown run.
“I’m glad y’all got a chance to see him,” Swinney said of Thomas after the game. “He’s a big, thick kid, but man he’s loose in the hips and he’s got great vision and he’s downhill. He’s a patient runner, he really understands how to run the ball, and he can help us.”
Thomas joined Clemson as a walk-on in January 2022 but earned a scholarship ahead of the 2022 season.
The Alabama native played six games at Union College in Kentucky in 2020, rushing 98 times for 527 yards and six touchdowns to go with 33 catches for 285 yards and a receiving touchdown, en route to being named Mid-South Conference Appalachian Division Offensive Freshman of the Year. He later decided to transfer and pursue his dream at Clemson after tragically losing his mother and grandparents to a tornado in March 2021.
Thomas lettered at Ohatchee (Ala.) High School, where he was a first-team Alabama Sports Writers Association all-state selection after posting 2,020 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns on 170 carries in 2019.
While the Tigers have a two-headed backfield monster in Shipley and Phil Mafah, who figure to get the majority of carries if healthy, Swinney believes Thomas has proven that the Tigers can count on him as well whenever he is called upon.
“Obviously, we’ve got two stallions in big Phil and Ship,” Swinney said. “We’ve got some really good weapons there, and Domonique has shown that he can be a very dependable guy for us.”
Dear Old Clemson has added the Tiger Sack Pack to our online store. Save by getting the Two Pack of signed cards from two of the nation’s top defensive ends, Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas.
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