Well, this is certainly an interesting if not somewhat expected development.
As one of two five-star members of Florida State’s 10th-ranked 2013 recruiting class, Matthew Thomas was expected to be a linchpin of the Seminoles’ defense for the next couple years. Instead, Thomas told the Miami Herald that he is seeking a release from his FSU scholarship without ever having ever played a down at the school.
A handful of days after signing with FSU, Thomas stated in mid-February that he would’ve signed with USC instead but his mother would not sign the National Letter of Intent.
In essence, the Miami, Fla., product signed with the in-state school to make his mom happy.“I’ve told them it’s nothing personal. I just didn’t make the decision I really wanted to on Signing Day,” said Thomas, who picked the Seminoles over USC, Georgia and Miami.
“What happened was on Signing Day [was] I wasn’t sure who I wanted to sign with. I had issues with different schools. But when I told my mom I didn’t want to sign with anybody and wait and give it a few days she said I couldn’t do that. She said, ‘FSU is a good school – pick them. It’s close to home.’ I wasn’t agreeing with it. But I felt like I was being disrespectful to her if I didn’t sign. So I made her happy.”
Thomas told the Herald that he informed head coach Jimbo Fisher of his desire to be released late last month. The paper writes that “FSU’s coaches do not want to release him and told him last week they’re planning on visiting him in South Florida to try and talk things over.”
If the 6-3, 205-pound Thomas, the No. 2 outside linebacker and No. 15 player at any position in the country in this year’s class, is granted a release, he confirmed that he would transfer to either Georgia -- he says he has family there -- or USC.