It’s been over a decade since MSU legend T.J. Duckett donned a green and white uniform, but Saturday afternoon there was another No. 8 lining up in MSU’s backfield.
Redshirt freshman defensive end Lawrence Thomas — “LT” to his coaches and teammates — saw an expanded role in a place few expected to see — at the fullback position.
“LT’s a guy that, to us, he’s a great football player,” head coach Mark Dantonio said. “It really felt like we had to get the guy going somewhere. He’s too good to not play.”
The 6-foot-3, 295 lbs. Thomas found his way on the field multiple times during MSU’s 41-7 victory at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
While he didn’t accrue any carries, he found other ways to contribute on offense, at one point leveling a huge block to spring senior running back Larry Caper for a 39-yard gain, MSU’s biggest running play of the day. Two plays later, junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell found Thomas on a flare route out of the backfield for a seven yard game and a Spartan first down.
“LT is a great run blocker,” junior running back Le’Veon Bell said of the converted defensive end/linebacker. “He’s a great guy and he’s athletic, so teams can’t really key in on him running the ball. He can catch out of the backfield and he can run too. He’s a big guy so (defensive backs) and corners can’t really tackle him.”
Thomas said the conversion to the opposite side of the ball came the Sunday following MSU’s victory over Boise State. In the one week he’s had practicing at fullback, Thomas said he’s gotten the basics of the offense down, but still needs to work on getting accustomed to the more complicated facets of MSU’s offense.
He said those adjustments would come during the next week of practice as the coaches continue to throw more plays and lineups at him to get used to.
“I was real happy to just be on the field,” Thomas said. “(I got to) go out there and do my job, contribute for the offense and (have) them depend on me to go out there and make some plays at fullback.”
Dantonio said the switch won’t be permanent for the Detroit-native, as Thomas will continue to practice on both sides of the ball.
However, the switch is nothing new for Thomas, who said he played multiple positions during his time playing football at Renaissance High School.
“When (coach Dantonio) said he’ll need me at fullback, I’ll do what’s needed to be done,” he said.
He added the transition was well received by the offense, as players were thrilled to have him lining up on the same side.
At least for now, there’s one person who’s happy he doesn’t have to go up against Thomas when he’s carrying the ball.
“I wouldn’t want to tackle LT,” Bell laughed. “That’s why it’s a good thing I play offense.”
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