Chasing the pros, one of many goals for Drew Thomas

   For senior corner back Drew Thomas, finding success in his final season with the Miners isn’t just about individual achievements, it’s also about leaving a lasting impression on his peers.

“I want to be considered one of the best corners in the nation. I want to show that my technique is really good and hopefully create turnovers for this defense,” Thomas said. “I am one of the older guys, I have been here for five years, so a lot of the younger guys feed off our senior energy. We are real vocal on the field and when we talk it gives everyone else confidence and we all play better.”

The seniority in the secondary is one of the main keys to the success for the Miners defense in 2012, as every defensive back seems to be firing on all cylinders.

“All of the defensive backs are seniors so everybody is communicating and we are all on the same page. We all feel the same,” senior safety DeShawn Grayson said. “It’s not just one of us, it’s all four. Communication, team baby.”

Despite the season opener loss to Oklahoma, the secondary believes that they made a statement not only to themselves, but the entire nation.

“It shows us that we can play with anybody in the nation and it gave us a lot of confidence,” Thomas said. “We are not intimidated by anybody and we want to show that we are one of the most physical defenses in the country.”

The Miners know that they must move past the loss, but carry over the positive throughout the season.

“We did a lot of positive things in that game and we need to get better and better every week,” Grayson said. “We have to come out here and tackle a little better and communicate. Overall I think we did a good job and we picked up a lot from that game. We just got to move forward now.”

Defensive backs coach Gabe Franklin was pleased with his secondary play following the Oklahoma game for particular reasons.

“The confidence we had. Guys played hard with good coverage and good eyes,” Franklin said. “We didn’t back down and that is the main thing that I liked about that game. We got a chance. We have a really good chance.”

Franklin wants his secondary to be the leaders on the field.

“He (Thomas) has played a lot of games for us so I expect him to be a senior leader. He has to show the young guys how to do it and do it right. He is playing at a very high level so I need him to make plays for me, that is his job,” Franklin said. “He is a lead by example kind of kid and he is doing a great job at that. He has gotten a lot better at being more vocal as a leader. Getting guys riled up before the game and he is a quiet kid. He has done a good job during the game to get the guys ready to go.”

Thomas feels that he is playing at the highest level since this will be his last season playing college football.

His aspiration is to make a name for himself this season to progress to the next level of play.

“The NFL (National Football League) is the goal. Hopefully I can convince an NFL team to draft me. I would love to play at that level,” Thomas said.

Frankie Rodriguez may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.