After 24 hours or so of speculation regarding his football future, Logan Thomas will be where most originally thought he would and should be -- back in Blacksburg for another season.
The Virginia Tech quarterback announced Tuesday afternoon that he will be returning to the Hokies for his senior season, eschewing an early leap to the NFL. With rumors of a significant shakeup to Tech’s offensive coaching staff on the horizon, many thought Thomas would go against the long-held belief that he would return and leave for the draft instead of playing under a new coordinator in 2013.
In the end, however, Thomas couldn’t leave on the heels of a 7-6 2012 season that left “a bad taste in my mouth.”
“I’m deciding to come back to Tech to better myself and this team for the future,” Thomas said in a statement released by the school. “I’m looking forward to what this upcoming season holds. The NFL has always been a goal of mine, but the NFL will always be there while college is only a five-year experience that you can’t get back.”
Thomas informed the coaching staff yesterday of his decision.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2011, Thomas completed nearly 60 percent of his passes for just over 3,000 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He regressed significantly in 2012, barely completing 50 percent of his passes (51.3). His passing yards dropped despite 38 more attempts, while his interception total jumped to 16; that was the fourth-highest total at the FBS level.
At 6-6, 260 pounds, Thomas certainly has the size to compete at the next level. Another year at this level -- even with a new coordinator -- will likely do the player a world of good, however.
Virginia Tech will open the 2013 season in the Chick-fil-A Kick Game against two-time defending BCS champion Alabama, whose starting quarterback AJ McCarron announced last month that he would be returning for his senior season as well. Interestingly, another opener scheduled for the upcoming season will pit Clemson against Georgia, whose junior quarterbacks -- Tajh Boyd for the former, Aaron Murray for the latter -- announced this month they would also be turning down early entry into the NFL for another season at the collegiate level.
With Thomas’ decision official, there are just two known quarterbacks who have declared for early entry into the draft -- Tennessee’s Tyler Bray and Eastern Washington’s Kyle Padron.
As it stands right now, a total of 74 players have declared for early entry. An official list from the NFL is expected to be released Wednesday.
If a player has not signed with an agent, he has until Jan. 18 to withdraw his paperwork and return to school.