Kevin Thomson Feature: An Injury Won’t Deter My Dream of Playing College Football
For Kevin Thomson, a native of Auburn, Washington, playing college football went from reality to a big question mark. Thomson’s story is filled with ups and downs, but through determination, family, and football, he has achieved dreams that at one point he wasn’t sure would come true.
In January of 2019, Thomson was granted a two-year extension to his eligibility clock. One year is hard to get, but two years is almost unheard of.
Rewind to 2015 when Thomson was sidelined with an elbow injury during the preseason that forced him to sit out at UNLV. Thomson had just come off his redshirt freshman season with the Rebels, as he had his eyes set on taking the field. It was a tough time for Thomson physically and mentally. The quarterback eventually decided to leave Las Vegas. His road to recovery spanned 18 months, during which that time Thomson had gone three years without playing football and even took some time off away from his studies.
In a time where your mental state is just as important as your physical condition, Thomson had to reevaluate what he wanted at that time in his life.
“I had a lot going through my mind - most of it probably negative,” Thomson reflected. “There were times when I didn’t know if I could do it or if I was good enough to play. I hadn’t played in college and I knew that I could miss two full years.”
Thomson voiced his concerns to his parents, and it was his dad, Jim, who became the voice he needed.
“My dad pretty much told me he thought it would be a big mistake (if I decided not to play anymore),” said Thomson. “He was like ‘take this time, you can learn a lot, reteach yourself how to throw and come out of this a better football player.”
Knowing that the process would not be an easy one, after watching his sister go through a similar rehab during high school, Thomson had the support system of his family behind him to grind it out and give it everything he had.
With the mindset of “Whatever happens, happens. As long as I put everything I have into it, I can’t have any regrets,” Thomson charged ahead with the goal of playing college football once again at the forefront of his mind.
Thomson had offers from two small Division II schools in Colorado. After going and checking them out, he couldn’t see himself at those schools.
“I wanted to play at the highest level of football possible,” Thomson said. “I was running out of time and I knew that I needed to make a decision soon. Coach (Paul) Wulff and Coach (Jody) asked if I wanted to visit campus.”
Thomson remembers being told, “We’ll give you a half scholarship and if you win the job, we’ll give you a full scholarship.” Knowing that it was a risk, but one that he was willing to take to play Division I football, Thomson hopped on board. “It was a huge risk for them. I had never played a snap in college before.”
From there, Thomson transferred to Sacramento State where injuries still lingered, but he was able to make his Hornet debut in 2017. He started eight games with the Hornets that season and helped lead the team to a 7-4 overall record and 6-2 mark in the Big Sky.
Thomson appeared in seven out of 10 games during the 2018 season, but the Hornets had several key players become injured resulting in a rough season finishing 2-8 overall and 0-7 in league play.
Heading into 2019, Thomson was faced with a new head coach and position coach. This coming after an up and down first few years in Sacramento.
“I feel like adapting to a new coaching staff is something I’ve done going back all the way to high school,” said Thomson. “The last time I remember having the same coaches two years in a row was during the 2017-18 season.
“I decided to buy-in 100 percent. It’s the best thing you can do as long as the whole team does it. When Coach (Troy) Taylor came in, I did my research. This transition has been the smoothest. Coach cares about us as people as well as football players. It’s the first time I felt that from a coaching staff in a long time. Coach did a really good job right away and we trusted him.”
Thomson learned the new offense and his ability to run and throw the ball, mixed with a solid offensive line and weapons up and down the lineup to choose from, the Sacramento State Hornets embarked on the best season ever.
Most wins in school history. Check. Conference championship. Check. Ranked in the top 5 of the FCS Top 25 Poll. Check. First FCS Playoff appearance. Check.
Winning a share of the conference championship was the icing on the cake for a team that had proved doubters wrong and performed like the top tier team they were.
When asked about what winning the Big Sky Championship meant to him and his teammates, Thomson answered, “I think it was something that we’ll remember forever. It was really important to the guys who had been here 4-5 years. A lot of them were emotional. To have that rapid success from one season to the next was something special. For me (the conference title) is something I’ll cherish.”
“The memories are what everyone will look back on,” Thomson said. “It was a special year. Every part of it was a lot of fun. We enjoyed each other’s company, which can be rare. Football can feel like a job at times or it can be tough on your body or stressful, but I didn’t feel that this last season. We had a lot of fun almost every day - that was the biggest difference.”
For Thomson, his stellar passing and rushing numbers, coupled with the W’s for the Hornets, the quarterback emerged as one of the best players in the league. Thomson’s numbers earned him a national player of the week honor by STATS FCS, the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year accolade, in addition to a top 3 finish for the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award.
Reflecting on his honors for the 2019 season, Thomson stated “It’s meaningful and something I felt like I’ve worked very hard towards accomplishing, but it’s a representation of my team. It’s an accumulation of the work the team, coaches, training staff, everyone involved put in. It’s great to get the awards and even to be nominated. My name is attached to the awards, but it’s a program award. You can’t have individual success without team success. Those awards go to guys who are on the most successful teams.”
Joining Thomson in Frisco was Coach Taylor who had been named the Eddie Robinson Award winner. The honor is given to the top coach in the FCS.
“We were thrilled (when Coach got the honor). I think what he did was pretty incredible,” Thomson said. “Ever since day one he’s had a bit of a different mental approach to the game I’ve never really seen or been a part of. He relates really well to the players and knows how to motivate us in the right way. Coach is the first person to give credit back to the rest of the coaching staff, players and training staff. He’s been doing a great job.”
Thomson graduated this past May with a degree in communication studies and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in educational technology.
To see where he is today, Thomson said, “It’s been incredible, honestly. At times it almost seems a little unbelievable, but at times, not. I did what I needed to do to get through it.”
For Thomson, “It was all worth it. It’s been a struggle but a great experience. I wouldn’t trade any of it. The injuries are one of the biggest reasons I was able to be here for this last season. It’s interesting to look back on, but I’m thankful for it all. People should take it one day at a time and keep pushing through whatever life throws at you. Whatever injury or obstacle comes at you, take it head-on. Luckily, I had people around me. I had my dad, teammates, family, coaches, and friends. If it weren’t for them who knows where I would be.”
Thomson will be suiting up for Sacramento State this fall, as he takes the field for his final season as a Hornet. Whatever may come his way, Thomson will have a support system filled with family, friends, and teammates to back him along the way.
