As he emerged from the pregame Tunnel Walk, the Nebraska true freshman nose tackle said he had the chills — the good kind of chills, the ones that occur when something happens in life that seems simultaneously surreal and meant to be.
"Honestly, I was nervous," Thomas told reporters following Tuesday's practice. "I'm not going to lie."
A graduate of Mustang (Oklahoma) High School, Thomas conducted the interview as three Husker sophomore defensive linemen — DaiShon Neal and twins Khalil Davis and Carlos Davis — stood behind him, as if to protect and comfort the rookie as he faced a half-dozen media members.