B/R Interview With Thurman Thomas: Alamo Bowl Preview, Ticket Giveaway and More

On Monday, Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas took time out of his day to speak with me about his upcoming promotion, the Alamo Bowl, Justin Blackmon's future and more. 

The former Oklahoma State football star will do a pregame fan appearance and Alamo Bowl ticket giveaway in San Antonio at the Rio Rio Cantina on the Riverwalk from noon to 1 p.m. CT on gameday along with college football blogger Spencer Hall as part of the Rivalry Road Trip sponsored by Good Hands Roadside Assistance.

More information on that, along with the rest of the interview transcript is below:

Adam Fromal: Have you been enjoying the holidays so far?

Thurman Thomas: Oh yeah. You know, there are some gifts that got hung up over FedEx and UPS so the gifts are still coming in. 

AF: Yeah, happened to me too. So I hear you're in San Antonio now doing some sort of giveaway for the Alamo Bowl.

TT: I'm partnering up with Allstate and their Rivalry Road Trip from the Good Hands Roadside Assistance. There's a lot of college teenagers and a lot of alumni that will be traveling throughout the Bowl games and this Good Hands Roadside Assistance has put together a program where they'll be able to help you on the road if something were to happen. And stuff does happen.

With this program, it's free of charge, it's open up to anyone and you only pay if you use it. So it's a good program that Allstate and the Rivalry Road Trip from the Good Hands Roadside Assistance can be a part of to help the college Bowl travelers get to where they're going to be. 

AF: I know you're definitely going to be interested in the game too since you went to Oklahoma State. Are there a couple of things you're looking forward to in the game?

TT: Well, you know I just think for Oklahoma State fans, I will be there in Oklahoma. Not quite sure yet if I'm going to go to the game but I think I will go. So I'll be there tomorrow. Wednesday I'm holding the autograph and signing for all the Oklahoma State alumni from twelve to one at Rio Rio Cantina on the Riverwalk. Giving away about 10 pairs of tickets and autographs and other prizes. 

I am excited for Oklahoma State University, trying to get that 11th win because it's never been done in the history of Oklahoma State. At the end of the year, Arizona didn't play well but this is a great opportunity for Oklahoma State to win another Bowl game, to get recruits to see that this is a good school to come to. 

AF: Can I get a prediction for the game?

TT: I'll just say that Oklahoma State will score about 42 points. And I think if they score 42 points they'll win the ballgame. 

AF: I'd definitely agree with you there. Now how many of those are going to be Justin Blackmon's? He's having an incredible season there.

TT: Aw man, he's had an unbelievable season. And with him even missing one game he's done well for himself, following another great receiver in Dez Bryant. He's made the All-American [team], [won] the Fred Biletnikoff, it just goes on and on. 

He's a guy who might stay in school or he might decide to go, but I think the chances of him staying in school are pretty good. I think he needs to develop on a little more things, maybe coming off the line of scrimmage. I know he's a big, strong, physical wide receiver but when you get to the National Football League, they do play a lot of man coverage and in college you see a lot of defensive backs playing off and not really in-your-face type of man coverage. So I think if he does stay in college, I think it's definitely something he needs to work on: getting off the line of scrimmage.

AF: Yeah, he's had I think 1,665 yards and 18 touchdowns this year. Can he be even better next year?

TT: Well, you know what, I think that all depends. Kendall Hunter is leaving but I'm sure as Oklahoma State has always done, they've always put another running back in there that has done well. It all depends on what the quarterback needs are. 

[Brandon Weeden] is an older guy, he might want to stay in school. I don't know if there's been a lot of talk of him in the draft but I think that will be a big part of Blackmon's decision, knowing that the quarterback will come back for another year. Those guys have really done well together. They've worked well together in practice and in games. I think Blackmon relies on what the quarterback is going to do. Is he going to come out or stay in school, I think that's a big part of it. 

AF: Now you also mentioned Kendall Hunter. How do you think he'll do at the next level? Can he be as successful there?

TT: I think he can be successful. One of the things that I like about Kendall is that he knows that he was injured a lot last year and wasn't really the healthy running back that he was his first couple of years. I think when you have that type of determination to come back and prove people wrong, you come back and show that "Hey, I am an elite running back in college football," with him coming back and having the year that he's had, I think that's a sign that he's able to work. He's wanted to work to get himself back into shape and get back on the football field to where he can make some plays.

It also depends on what type of team he goes to. Is he going to be the guy that might be the guy coming right in or is he going to have to be the [running back] that sits behind a guy and comes in on third down to do some mop up duty? I definitely think that he can have a successful career in the National Football League.

AF: Do you remember where you were ranked coming out of high school?

TT: I think I was No. 2 coming out of the state of Texas and I was like No. 8 coming out [of the country]. I think I was the second running back. I don't remember who was ahead of me. 

AF: I think you backed that up pretty well.

TT: Yeah, I think I did pretty well.

AF: Who's your pick in the National Championship?

TT: Well, since my daughter goes to the University of Florida, I'm going to have to stick with the SEC and go with Auburn in that one. 

AF: And how about Cam Newton? Do you think he can be as successful in the NFL as he has been in college?

TT: I think he can be but I don't know, we'll see if he can be successful right away. I've always been kind of leery of guys that have played one great season in college and all of a sudden decide to come out because there's a lot of hype about it. I know that he won the Heisman, he had some great games over this past college year. Some great comebacks. Under a lot of pressure from the NCAA and his father. 

But I think he's a raw talent. If he decides to come to the National Football League that it will take a couple of years to really get him to learn the coverages. When he was at Auburn, sure he was dropping back or whatever, but when the pressure came he would pull down the ball and run. In the National Football League you can't do that to a certain point and they're going to do something different, like they might have a spy on you. So you're going to have to learn the mechanics of being a good quarterback: reading defenses, knowing when to take off and when not to take off. 

And a prime example of that is the way Michael Vick has played this year. 

AF: Yeah, he's been incredible. So another college football question. How would you feel about a potential playoff system? Do you think that could ever happen?

TT: I think it could happen but I think right now with the way everything is set up, you have to win six ballgames to earn a Bowl game. This thing is kind of taken away from us now, because if you're going to have a playoff system, what are you going to do with the Bowl system? Are you going to continue to have the Bowls? Is that a way that teams can generate money or will it be throughout the playoff system?

I'm sure a lot of people would love the playoff system instead of the BCS type of system that they have. I think now with the Bowl games it gives us a lot more opportunities to play in the Bowl games. I think if they go to a playoff, they may not play as many games as right now. 

I'm kind of 50-50 on it. Sure I would love to see it but then again I wouldn't want to see it take away from the Bowl games.

AF: Now I do have one NFL-related question for you. You played for the Bills in all but one of your seasons. They were pretty good then, they haven't been so good now. If you were in charge, what would you do to fix it? Who would you draft?

TT: I think right now when you look at this team, there's a question mark in a lot of different areas on the Buffalo Bills. I really couldn't put my hand on one particular spot. I think the quarterback position all depends on where you pick in the draft, but I think if you have an opportunity to get Andrew Luck, you take him. I think he's the only prospect...that will be worthy of that No. 1 pick. I don't think there are any other No. 1 picks that are out there that can come into the National Football League and do something right away. 

I just think they need a good pass rusher. They need another defensive guy. They need a playmaker in the secondary, a guy that can come up with five, six, seven interceptions year in and year out. Along with that, on the offensive side of the ball, I think they need a left tackle. They're set at the wide receiver spot, maybe could use a tight end. 

So it's not just one area that's more important than another. I think overall, whatever the draft may bring, all the draft picks and all the free agents that the Bills get, they're going to have to come in and make an immediate impact. 

AF: I've got one last light-hearted question for you. Any New Year's resolutions for you this year?

TT: To have a better year than I had last year. I had a pretty good 2010. If 2011 can top 2010, I'll be happy. 

AF: Thank you so much for your time.

TT: Alright bud, take care.