Blair Thomas: Saq The Best Ever.

[denniskembala]

Penn State great Blair Thomas says Saquon Barkley is PSU's best back ever
Updated on August 27, 2017 at 6:03 AMPosted on August 27, 2017 at 6:00 AM

Former Penn State running back Blair Thomas (far right) during pregame of Saturday's Imhotep Charter at Harrisburg High School football game.(Aaron Carr, PennLive)




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By Aaron Carr

acarr@pennlive.com

One year removed from an 11-win campaign, a Big Ten championship and a Rose Bowl Game berth, Penn State is a trendy pick to make the College Football Playoff this season.

The Nittany Lions came in at No. 6 in the first Associated Press top 25 poll of 2017.




Penn State's 2017 football schedule: PennLive staff makes game-by-game predictions

Penn State's 2017 football season is a flip of the recent script as the Lions transition from underdogs to defending Big Ten champions and prime national title contenders.




Penn State great Blair Thomas believes that this year's team can live up to its lofty preseason ranking.

Thomas, one of the program's best-ever ball carriers, liked what he saw during his trip to State College last week. He thinks that Penn State is primed to build upon its 2016 success.

"Can we expect the same type of year? I'm saying yes," said Thomas, who was attending Saturday's high school football game between Harrisburg and Imhotep Charter. "A lot of people are starting to doubt that because it was like a storybook type of year the way things transpired last year."

"But I think with the talent they have and going against other programs that lost a lot of players - Ohio State lost a lot of players and Michigan did too - that's going to help them," he continued. "They didn't lose many guys, which is always a plus. So it's going to be an exciting year and I think the coaches have those guys on an even keel. I think they'll be successful again this year."


The Penn State player that has impressed Thomas the most is junior running back Saquon Barkley.

Barkley, a 2017 Associated Press preseason All-American, currently sits at No. 12 on Penn State's career rushing list with 2,572 yards. Thomas checks in at No. 4 with 3,301 yards.

But Thomas, the No. 2 overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft, believes that Barkley has the tools to climb that list with another stellar season this fall.

"[Barkley] is probably the best running back to come through that program," said Thomas. "He definitely has set the bar a little higher. I respect his talents, I respect his ability and I'm just excited when he touches the ball because you know some great things can happen."

Now that Penn State is free of the scholarship reductions that hindered its recruiting efforts in the wake of the Sandusky scandal, Thomas believes that the program will have no problem signing talented players, like Barkley, in the future.

Thomas, who saw Penn State pledges Isheem Young (Imhotep) and Shaquon Anderson-Butts (Harrisburg) square off on Saturday, said he "loves to see Pennsylvania kids go to Penn State."

"That just keeps all of that rich tradition and all that talent in the state," he said. "I think coach Franklin is doing an outstanding job of recruiting kids and he's seeing them at a much younger age now. Everybody is running those pro-style offenses and you can get a chance to see those guys and what they can do in your system because a lot of schools are running the same type of stuff. He's been fortunate enough to go out there and have some aggressive coaches out there pounding the pavement and finding those key players."




Penn State's all-time rushing leaders: Saquon Barkley primed for record-setting 2017

Here's a look at the program's top 20 leaders in career rushing yardage.

 

[phillybillyreprise]

Last Wednesday night, I attended the Mother Teresa of Calcutta School Carnival along with my grandchildren, son, daughter-in-law & wife. The kids did the rides. Pop-Pop did have the honor of having the first ride on a Ferris wheel for his granddaughter.

As we getting ready to leave, the others went to get snow cones with the kids and I sat on a bench and waited. While I was sitting there, a guy came by and said, "You have the right idea". I said sit down Blair and introduced myself as a graduate of the class of '69. We talked about how magical last year was. I told my seats are in NA. The view of both Barkley's run in OT v. Minnesota and Haley's return v. Ohio State were towards us.

When I said that I hoped that the team would have a great year and they could handle the pressure. He said that pressure is what others see and the team knows what it has to do - prepare for each game. He said with all the lettermen returning that the team is experienced.

My son came by to tell me the rest of the family was ready to leave. I shook Blair's hand. As we walked to the car, my son who always says I talk to everyone asked whom I had been talking to. When I told him Blair Thomas, he wondered why I hadn't introduced him.

PSU has a culture problem. Famous former players have time to sit at a grade school carnival and talk to an old gesser grad.

 

[katchthis]

But does Art say Blair is qualified to make this statement.

 

[BobPSU92]

But does Art say Blair is qualified to make this statement.

Does Art say anyone is qualified to do anything besides Art?

 

[Ski]

Mother Teresa of Calcutta School

Isn't that N(ot)D(eserving)'s home opener this year? I hear they are trying to toughen up their schedule.

 

[N&B4PSU]

Just curious... anyone know what SB's vertical is? Leap, not his height lol.

Looks like an optical illusion but he appears to be taking off for another planet.

 

[Mack_Daddy]

Penn State great Blair Thomas says Saquon Barkley is PSU's best back ever
Updated on August 27, 2017 at 6:03 AMPosted on August 27, 2017 at 6:00 AM

Former Penn State running back Blair Thomas (far right) during pregame of Saturday's Imhotep Charter at Harrisburg High School football game.(Aaron Carr, PennLive)




0shares


By Aaron Carr

acarr@pennlive.com

One year removed from an 11-win campaign, a Big Ten championship and a Rose Bowl Game berth, Penn State is a trendy pick to make the College Football Playoff this season.

The Nittany Lions came in at No. 6 in the first Associated Press top 25 poll of 2017.




Penn State's 2017 football schedule: PennLive staff makes game-by-game predictions

Penn State's 2017 football season is a flip of the recent script as the Lions transition from underdogs to defending Big Ten champions and prime national title contenders.




Penn State great Blair Thomas believes that this year's team can live up to its lofty preseason ranking.

Thomas, one of the program's best-ever ball carriers, liked what he saw during his trip to State College last week. He thinks that Penn State is primed to build upon its 2016 success.

"Can we expect the same type of year? I'm saying yes," said Thomas, who was attending Saturday's high school football game between Harrisburg and Imhotep Charter. "A lot of people are starting to doubt that because it was like a storybook type of year the way things transpired last year."

"But I think with the talent they have and going against other programs that lost a lot of players - Ohio State lost a lot of players and Michigan did too - that's going to help them," he continued. "They didn't lose many guys, which is always a plus. So it's going to be an exciting year and I think the coaches have those guys on an even keel. I think they'll be successful again this year."


The Penn State player that has impressed Thomas the most is junior running back Saquon Barkley.

Barkley, a 2017 Associated Press preseason All-American, currently sits at No. 12 on Penn State's career rushing list with 2,572 yards. Thomas checks in at No. 4 with 3,301 yards.

But Thomas, the No. 2 overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft, believes that Barkley has the tools to climb that list with another stellar season this fall.

"[Barkley] is probably the best running back to come through that program," said Thomas. "He definitely has set the bar a little higher. I respect his talents, I respect his ability and I'm just excited when he touches the ball because you know some great things can happen."

Now that Penn State is free of the scholarship reductions that hindered its recruiting efforts in the wake of the Sandusky scandal, Thomas believes that the program will have no problem signing talented players, like Barkley, in the future.

Thomas, who saw Penn State pledges Isheem Young (Imhotep) and Shaquon Anderson-Butts (Harrisburg) square off on Saturday, said he "loves to see Pennsylvania kids go to Penn State."

"That just keeps all of that rich tradition and all that talent in the state," he said. "I think coach Franklin is doing an outstanding job of recruiting kids and he's seeing them at a much younger age now. Everybody is running those pro-style offenses and you can get a chance to see those guys and what they can do in your system because a lot of schools are running the same type of stuff. He's been fortunate enough to go out there and have some aggressive coaches out there pounding the pavement and finding those key players."




Penn State's all-time rushing leaders: Saquon Barkley primed for record-setting 2017

Here's a look at the program's top 20 leaders in career rushing yardage.

LOVED LOVED LOVED watching Blair Thomas. I especially loved watching him mow down Bama defenders in 1989. I still think he was in at the goal line.

Great block by Bama at the end. You could hear a pin drop in the student section after the block.

 

[PSUPride1]

LOVED LOVED LOVED watching Blair Thomas. I especially loved watching him mow down Bama defenders in 1989. I still think he was in at the goal line.

Great block by Bama at the end. You could hear a pin drop in the student section after the block.

View embedded media

I was at that game in the end zone where the kick was blocked. I talked to Blair at a social function and he wanted the ball one more time on third down. I understand kicking on third down but we were owning the line of scrimmage and Blair was a great back. Anyway, brutal loss.

 

[christoph]

Love Blair. Just a regular positive guy.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Is Blair coaching anywhere? Last I recall, he was at Temple

 

[psuro]

Last Wednesday night, I attended the Mother Teresa of Calcutta School Carnival along with my grandchildren, son, daughter-in-law & wife. The kids did the rides. Pop-Pop did have the honor of having the first ride on a Ferris wheel for his granddaughter.

As we getting ready to leave, the others went to get snow cones with the kids and I sat on a bench and waited. While I was sitting there, a guy came by and said, "You have the right idea". I said sit down Blair and introduced myself as a graduate of the class of '69. We talked about how magical last year was. I told my seats are in NA. The view of both Barkley's run in OT v. Minnesota and Haley's return v. Ohio State were towards us.

When I said that I hoped that the team would have a great year and they could handle the pressure. He said that pressure is what others see and the team knows what it has to do - prepare for each game. He said with all the lettermen returning that the team is experienced.

My son came by to tell me the rest of the family was ready to leave. I shook Blair's hand. As we walked to the car, my son who always says I talk to everyone asked whom I had been talking to. When I told him Blair Thomas, he wondered why I hadn't introduced him.

PSU has a culture problem. Famous former players have time to sit at a grade school carnival and talk to an old gesser grad.

Let's hope one day your grandson will be with his grandkids and run into Saquin who will sit with him and say the current running back at the time at Penn State is the best ever.

 

[AWS1022]

Just curious... anyone know what SB's vertical is? Leap, not his height lol.

Looks like an optical illusion but he appears to be taking off for another planet.

He has a good vertical, but I believe this is after Gesicki throws him up in the air to celebrate a TD.

 

[BobPSU92]

Let's hope one day your grandson will be with his grandkids and run into Saquin who will sit with him and say the current running back at the time at Penn State is the best ever.

Saquon.

 

[phillybillyreprise]

my 5 year old grandson had his first flag football practice last week.

 

[christoph]

Not to start a fire . But Curtis enis may be the best college RB to have come through. Just IMO.