Stanford head coach David Shaw told reporters earlier in the week how the motor of defensive end Solomon Thomas would not stop. On Friday afternoon at the Sun Bowl, that motor was on full display at the Sun Bowl and North Carolina had simply no answer for him.
“It seemed like every time there was a play, number 90 was making it,” North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora said after the game, “I’m not sure if we ever blocked him. He seemed like he made just about every play there was.”
Thomas finished with seven tackles, five for a loss, and a sack, but he was the one guy that North Carolina simply didn’t have an answer for and was named the game’s MVP. Stanford head coach David Shaw said Thomas’s play had a rippling effect for the rest of his defense.
“They may say they didn’t block him, but they tried,” Shaw said, “Sometimes with one guy, sometimes with two and other times with three guys. He never stopped. He kept fighting and kept pushing and it helped his other teammates make plays.”
He also played the lead role on the potential game-tying two-point conversion as he was the first man in the backfield to pressure North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky and pressure him before he looked to see who where he was going to throw it.
“The play was to react off of the lineman’s movement and I just got up field and luckily Mitch was coming to me and I was able to make a play,” Thomas said, “All my teammates were in the right position. It was a team effort and I was just happy to get the win for my brothers.”
The Cardinal knew how good of a talent Thomas was, but you can say it was a breakout game for the junior defensive end out of Coppell. Now, he has a decision to make.
There was some speculation that Thomas would declare for the NFL Draft. He says that he’ll take his time making his decision and maintains that he’ll stay true to his process.
“I’m in no rush to make a decision,” Thomas said, “I just want to enjoy this win with my teammates. I love these guys more than anything and we deserve that.”
Whether this was his last game or not, Shaw made clear that Thomas is a clear representation of what Stanford football is.
“Solomon exemplified this football team with his toughness, heart, and effort. They may say they didn’t block him, but they tried. When the game is on the line, great players make great plays and that’s what Solomon did for us today.”
