First TD another step in dream for Tigers RB at Clemson

Domonique Thomas scored his first touchdown as a Tiger against Florida Atlantic last week.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Thu Sep 21 13:00:10 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - Redshirt junior Domonique Thomas’ story is inspirational, and he’s starting to make an impact on the field for the Tigers.

Thomas suffered a personal tragedy in 2021 with dear family members lost in a tornado while he was away playing NAIA football at Union College (Ky), and he then played out a dream to walk-on and then earn a scholarship at Clemson last year.

“I always knew when I decided to go (to Union College) out of high school, I knew it was going to be temporary and I didn’t know where I was going to go, but after talking to my family - my mom and my grandma - I mentioned Clemson, and they thought it would be good for me to come here and I’m doing what they wanted me to do,” Thomas said of conversations before their tragic deaths.

Thomas described this week how his grandfather, who nicknamed him Boogie, introduced him to football right when he was born.

“When I was born, my granddad put a football in the incubator with me,” Thomas said. “I think my love for football started that day. I kind of felt like I was born to play this game.”

Against Florida Atlantic, Thomas got more playing time than he ever had before at Clemson. He rushed for 32 yards and scored his first touchdown as a Tiger.

“Something that I always dreamed about doing as a little kid,” Thomas said. “Just the feeling after it actually happened, it was just a surreal feeling, and I plan on doing it a lot more.”

In a strong running back room, getting a lot of attention can be difficult for a player like Thomas. However, fans have heard a good deal about Thomas before, partially because his teammates and coaches have given him the nickname “Quadzilla.” Quadzilla has made quite the impression on his teammates, including junior running back Will Shipley. Shipley is one player that Thomas identified as being a leader among the running backs.

“(Shipley) is a great leader, and he always tries to give me his perspective,” Thomas said. “Watching film in practice, he’s always giving me his perspective on the things he would have done different, and we both bounce ideas off each other, and the same thing with Phil (Mafah).”

Thomas has gotten more playing time in the past few games because the offense has stepped up and taken charge, leading to large margins of victory. That playing time may not happen this coming Saturday when the Tigers take on No. 4 Florida State (Noon / ABC), but specifically for Thomas, he could come into the game at some point as a change-of-pace player. The Tigers can take advantage of the Seminoles’ rushing defense more than Boston College did last week, especially with the Shipley-Mafah duo. But a change of pace with Thomas could also give both backs a break while bringing a fresh and ready player into the game.

So, fans should still watch for Quadzilla to appear in this game.