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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Captain Courageous
9/6/2001 | Football
Sept. 1, 2001
By Katy Lonergan,
Assistant Sports Information Director
Courage, honor, discipline, heart. Those are four words commonly used to describe former Ole Miss defender Chucky Mullins. Coincidentally, those are also four words used to describe current Rebel defender Kevin Thomas.
Mullins was tragically injured on October 28, 1989, in the Homecoming game against Vanderbilt. The injury left Mullins paralyzed, ending his playing career.
Chucky's battle with the illness and his undefeatable spirit changed the University of Mississippi forever. Unfortunately, Chucky was overcome by his illness and passed away in May of 1991. Although Chucky's life was not a long one, it was a full one, and in the spring of 1990, the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity at Ole Miss initiated the Chucky Mullins Courage Award to be given to the Rebels' most outstanding defensive player.
So, it should come as no surprise that Thomas was selected as this year's recipient of the award, and will wear No. 38 this fall in Mullins' honor. The award, though, did come as a surprise to Thomas.
"I was really shocked when they called my name," said Thomas, a senior from Batesville, Miss. "I was not expecting it at all. There were a couple of other guys I just figured would get it. I had not really considered myself for the award."
That, too, should come as no surprise. Thomas has been sneaking up on people ever since he arrived in Oxford in 1998.
He began his Ole Miss career as a walk-on, but impressed the coaches enough to earn playing time as a true freshman. At 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, Thomas played his first season in a Rebel uniform at strong safety. He was also a force on special teams, as he collected two tackles and returned two kickoffs for 15 yards. After his outstanding play in the 1998 season opener versus Memphis, Thomas was awarded the squad's Special Teams Player of the Week by the coaching staff.
In his second season as a Rebel, Thomas again appeared in all 12 games, but this time at linebacker. He earned his second varsity letter and picked up 17 tackles, including six solo hits. He also had two quarterback sacks for 11 yards.
After having two solid seasons in Oxford, Thomas had a break-out campaign as a junior. He played in all 12 games, starting 11, and was credited with 59 tackles, including 35 solo stops. Thomas had three tackles for loss and one quarterback sack, playing at both the strong-side and weak-side linebacker spots. He also had five quarterback pressures, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. In addition to all that, he intercepted two passes against Vanderbilt and led the team with seven tackles against West Virginia in the Music City Bowl.
Thomas is one of those players who does not rest on his successes, but uses them as motivation for continued improvement. He was not satisfied with his play last year and has worked even harder this off-season to get better.
"I had a better year last season," said Thomas, a Criminal Justice major. "That just made me want to work harder. I could see what kind of results can happen from hard work, so it made me want to get back in the weight room and the film room to continue to improve."
His hard work is just one of many things that sets him apart from others. Another quality would be his upbeat personality.
"Kevin has one of those contagious attitudes," said new Ole Miss defensive coordinator Don Lindsey. "He is one of our hardest workers and always has a smile on his face. He constantly motivates his teammates and still finds a way to keep himself motivated."
Thomas' coaches are not the only ones who have noticed his superior work ethic. His teammates have found him as a source of motivation, and someone they can look to provide a spark when things are getting tough on the field.
"Kevin is one of those guys who is always full of energy," said Eddie Strong, current Ole Miss linebacker and high school teammate of Thomas' at South Panola High School. "He likes to go out there and have fun, but at the same time, he handles his business. He has a lot of heart and always gets the job done."
Being the great motivator and leader that he is, it should again come as no surprise that Thomas was selected by his teammates to be a tri-captain in 2001. But, for Thomas, it was another shocking honor.
"It is a big honor to be a captain for this team," said Thomas, the son of Robert Lewis and Lou Ella Thomas. "I was surprised again by being named, but I am looking forward to leading these guys. Whether it is by example or words, I plan on doing the best job I can to help us win every game."
Being a leader and wearing Mullins' No. 38 seem to go hand-in-hand, and Derek Jones, the 1996 Chucky Mullins Courage Award winner, knows a little about both.
"There are a lot of awards, the Heisman, the Doak Walker, and then you have the Chucky Mullins Award," said Jones, a 1996 Rebel team captain who makes his return to Oxford tonight as a Murray State assistant coach. "Not too many people can win this award. It belongs to us and we should cherish it."
Thomas, although initially surprised at the honor of wearing No. 38, has embraced the task of representing Chucky on the field.
"Chucky Mullins always said, 'He may give out, but he will never give up,' and that is how I try to live my life," said Thomas.
Could anyone be more courageous?
