MSU senior linebacker and football tri-captain Josh Thornhill has all the right tools to be a premier player in the Big Ten.
But Thornhill doesn’t credit himself for his awesome talents. His size, speed, strength and agility wouldn’t be a part of him without God, he says.
“My senior year of high school, I came to know the Lord,” said Thornhill, a devout Baptist. “Before that, I knew about it but never gave it any thought.”
Thornhill said he doesn’t know where he would be today as a football player or a person without God.
“(God has) definitely (elevated my game),” Thornhill said. “I really don’t know where I would be without it. I don’t know if I would have made it through my freshman year of camp without the Lord. Those were some trying times with a whole lot of prayer and stuff like that.”
Academically, Thornhill is about three semesters away from graduating with a degree in kinesiology. His academic path is designed to allow him to stay around the sport he loves.
“I’d like to stay around (football),” Thornhill said. “I’d like to get on with a sports physician, stay around the game or some kind of game, some kind of athletic competition or something like that. I’d like to go into that because it allows me to stay around the sport aspect of it.”
While No. 50 has only one more season of running out of the Spartan Stadium tunnel, Thornhill has a good shot at extending his playing career into the NFL. But Thornhill said helping his team win this season takes precedence over catching the eyes of potential employers.
“You obviously read scouting reports and stuff like that,” Thornhill said. “But I try not to worry too much about that until the season is over. If I have a good season, it will take care of itself.
“I go out there every year wanting to have a good season. This season is not any different. I want to go out there and have a good season first, so I can help my team win a Big Ten championship, obviously. Whatever comes after that, Lord-willing, I’ll go to the NFL or whatnot. Whatever happens, happens.”
And, after a disappointing 5-6 record last season, Thornhill said he’s even more motivated to get back on the field and restore a winning way to MSU’s program.
“As far as the motivation factor, 5-6 is enough motivation to make anybody want to do better,” Thornhill said. “We all know what we went through last year. How we felt, obviously nobody wants that again.
“I’m hoping the same thing that happened in ’99 will happen this year. We came off a bad season in ’98, went 10-2, and now we’re 5-6 and hopefully we can go 12-0.”
When the Spartans’ 2001 season ends, whatever the result, Thornhill will continue to follow the source that’s brought him this far.
“It’s nice knowing I don’t have to worry about my future,” he said. “The Lord is going to take care of me. Whatever I’m doing I’m all right with it, I’m satisfied. .
“Whether I get hurt or go on to the next level, it’s all in His hands, and I’ll be satisfied with whatever He throws my way. Whether it’s something I want or not, I know it’s His will. So I’m at peace with that.”
