Colorado Buffs football notes: Guy Thomas wraps up collegiate career, looks to future – The Denver Post

Guy Thomas didn’t start his college career at Colorado, but it was a place he learned to love.

That made for an emotional day on Saturday when Thomas played his final game with the Buffaloes in a 63-21 loss to Utah at Folsom Field.

“I was definitely emotional, definitely cried after the game a little bit,” said Thomas, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound outside linebacker who was a sixth-year senior this fall. “I’m surrounded by family, brothers, something that I cherish. It’s a moment that I’ll never forget. Something to build off of moving forward.”

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Thomas was one of 22 players to go through senior day festivities before Saturday’s game. He posted three tackles in his final game, capping a senior year in which he had 43 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback pressures.

After growing up in Miami, Fla., Thomas played two seasons (2017-18) at Nebraska, playing in just four games. In 2019, he played at Coahoma (Miss.) Community College, posting 30 tackles and 10 TFLs in only six games.

Thomas spent the last three years at CU, all as a regular part of the rotation on the edge. In 23 games (17 as a starter), he posted 90 tackles, 11.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks.

Like the rest of the Buffs, Thomas also learned how to deal with adversity during his time at CU, but also prior to coming to Boulder.

“What I have took (as a lesson), just keep my head down and stay solid, stay true to who I am, remember who I am and just continue to work,” he said. “Even if things are not looking as well, just continue to do the things that (are within) my character.”

With his playing career at CU over, Thomas said he’s looking forward to wrapping up his master’s degree in organizational leadership in December.

Thomas will then prepare for the NFL draft, hoping to get a shot at the next level.

At some point, he also hopes to put his degree to work in helping youth.

“I always wanted to work with youth,” he said. “I wanted to give back to my community, younger kids. I just wanted to give back, be a mentor, any type of role model for the youth in my community or just any youth.”

High hopes for future

True freshman running back Anthony Hankerson had an optimistic approach to the future after Saturday’s loss to Utah.

CU finished 1-11 (1-8 Pac-12), but Hankerson said it was a season of learning for him and the Buffs.

“It’s been a major learning experience, but I’m a big believer in Christ and I feel like God put us all (here for a reason),” he said. “The way the season played out, I’m pretty sure me and a couple other guys, if not everybody else in that locker room, is gonna feed off this season. We know how that feels when we get that sour taste in our mouth. Nobody wants to go out there and put those types of numbers up. We’re just going to want to use it all as fire, keep it in and next season we come out even harder.”

Hankerson had a team-high 46 rushing yards against Utah and scored a touchdown. Despite not playing in the first four games, he wound up 274 yards and a team-high three rushing touchdowns.

“As a player, I learned how to face adversity, look it in the face and accomplish what I want to get accomplished,” he said.

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