By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
When the lights turn off, some people count sheep, while others dream of flying, falling or losing the occasional tooth. But when redshirt sophomore Keaton Thomas lays his head on his pillow at night, the X’s and O’s of head coach Dave Aranda’s unique defensive playbook flicker like an old movie on repeat projected against his eyelids.
“I’m somebody who’s definitely heavily into manifestation and visualizing before I do it. So before I go to sleep, I watch tape. Then I can see the whole field, the concept that [the offense is] running and what I have to do in that play before actually going out and doing it the next day,” Thomas said. “My favorite concept right now, I [dream] about it all the time and I watch tape on it all the time.”
The 6-foot-2 Northeast Mississippi Community College transfer was one of Aranda’s first calls when the transfer portal window opened in the winter. Thomas was a hot commodity after racking up 107 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two interceptions in 2023 en route to earning a First-Team NJCAA All-America selection.
Thomas started his collegiate career at West Virginia as a defensive back in 2022 but redshirted after only seeing reps on the scout team. Looking for hands-on experience and an opportunity to showcase his talent, Thomas bet on himself and finished second in tacking in the NJCAA after moving to a different school.
However, returning to the Big 12 was a priority after a breakout campaign.
“Coming in, I watched almost every game last year — especially that West Virginia game — once I got that [Baylor] offer in late November. And, I mean, I just saw the energy was lacking, for sure,” Thomas said. “So my goal was to create energy on the field with physicality, and then on the sideline get loud when guys make plays and get on them when they don’t.”
Baylor stood out as an appealing option for Thomas as Aranda’s defensive genius paired with the experience of sixth-year senior linebacker Matt Jones would be another feather in his cap.
Aside from the obvious eye catching stats, redshirt senior linebacker Brooks Miller said Thomas also brought something else Baylor was looking for: personality and young leadership.
“The guys that have come in this year have done a great job bringing new energy,” Miller said. “You look at guys like [Keaton Thomas], it doesn’t matter what kind of play it is, no matter if it’s a bad day, he’s going to bring the juice. And that’s good to have on the defense, especially. I feel like we’ve been missing a little bit of swagger in the linebacker room ever since guys like Terrel [Bernard] left. And I feel like KT brings that.”
Very rarely will an underclassman transfer receive the keys to the castle as quickly as Thomas did. Following the very first spring practice, Aranda shouted him out as a player to watch, and a few months later, he was one of Baylor’s player representatives at Big 12 Media Days alongside four returning upperclassmen.
And with every sentence out of Thomas’ mouth, there’s a reason players are already willing to run through a wall for him.
“We’ve had a lot of fun, making a lot of plays, starting to see young guys develop,” Thomas said. “Days are long, nights are longer, mornings are early, but I think everybody’s really grasped it well and just had a great attitude about it and come to win.”
As a newcomer to Aranda and defensive coordinator Matt Powledge’s scheme, Thomas could incorporate his playstyle into the strategy. As Miller put it, Thomas and Jones’ energy and athleticism have permitted Baylor to play “downhill with fill in the gap and knock-back tackling,” while the 2023 defense opted for more lateral play. Due to his influence and fit, Thomas set lofty expectations for himself.
“I want 100-plus tackles this season. That’s the main goal,” Thomas said. “All-American, Big 12 Newcomer, anything I can get my hands on. Honestly, it’s just getting better each week. Take great tackling angles, have clean footwork, attack blockers really well and cover well. That’s my goal every day.”
Following the final scrimmage of training camp, Aranda shared how he talked with Thomas afterward to gauge the defense’s progress. Just eight months after stepping foot on Baylor’s campus, Thomas was not only starting a scrimmage in place of Jones, who was dealing with an injury, but also taking accountability for captaining all 11 defenders on the field.
“We were just talking out here about how he wished he’d gotten on the guys more in that first half,” Aranda said. “In the moment, there’s always things you can do. To think of others and motivate them is something Keaton can bring. When he talks, people listen. So there’s all types of reactions to a thing. So with Matt not being there, Keaton’s leadership has grown.”
Thomas has felt the months fly by, and while defensive schemes have played during his sleep, the moment he walks back out of the tunnel in preparation for his return to the Big 12 has taken over the primary screening.
In front of a sold-out crowd of 50,223 at McLane Stadium, a sleeping Thomas takes in the sights and sounds before the lights flicker and he opens his eyes each morning.
Big 12 football is back.
“[I’m] definitely a little anxious, just excited. I’ve dreamt a lot about the season in these past couple of weeks, and how when you’re a little boy and you’re watching all these big-time games on the screen on TV, everything is a dream come true,” Thomas said. “I just want to maximize it and have fun and represent my family well and the school well.”
