CHAMPAIGN – There’s no Superman cape. Or Bat phone.
Illinois freshman Cam Thomas passed his initial test Saturday, coach Lovie Smith said, when he took his first snap as a college quarterback. Now it’s on to more important things, like winning a game, but that assignment might be more to ask for another rookie on a squad that looks more like a freshman team than the varsity.
Thomas, the former Chicago Heights Marion Catholic star, provided a spark with his ability, although it was also described as the start of things to come.
“He is another example of our level of recruiting,’’ offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said.
Perhaps this was a glimpse into the future, but it’s still baby steps for another member of the baby-face Illini, who have already started 14 true freshmen this season. The next quarterback is always the best quarterback, but this is a dual-threat quarterback capable of making plays with his arm, once Thomas gets comfortable. Thomas was one of the first commitments in the Lovie Era, and the Illini appear ready to get this quarterback on the field and get him prepped for the future.
Lovie wouldn’t commit to starting Thomas or playing him more against No. 5 Wisconsin this week, but it’s apparent the Illini feel it’s time to get him game experience by getting him on the field. From there, it’s about a first-year freshman trying to get a grip on a deep playbook, learning to read defenses and adjusting to the speed of the game at the college level.
Thomas showed what he can do with his feet, but it’s off-base to characterize him as a running quarterback. His arm might have the most strength of anyone on the roster, so he’s a passer who also adds a dimension as a runner.
“Cam has excellent speed, quickness, and he has a live arm,’’ Lovie said.
While sophomore Jeff George is also part of the plan, Thomas has been acknowledged as the future at the position. George completed 78 percent of his attempts in the 24-17 loss to Minnesota Saturday, and he obviously has a better grasp of the offense. Thomas rushed for a team-high 79 yards and passed for 33, although the first game didn’t come without the anguish of a pick six that served as the eventual winning score. Thomas provided the spark with his physical talent, then made a key freshman mistake.
“Cam is a smart player,’’ Lovie said. “His preparation has always been good, (or) his preparation as a freshman has been good. There’s a lot he hasn’t seen, a lot of situations he’s not been in. Cam doesn’t have the entire package yet. That’s what went into (the decision) last week. Another week, progress a little bit and we see how it goes this week.’’
But, Lovie also indicated, much is expected from Thomas.
The first challenge is “for him to take another step,’’ Lovie said. “Now you’ve got that first game out of the way. It will be a little bit more familiar. We don’t really go into it thinking about redshirting anyone. Our numbers show that it’s about our best guys at the time.’’
The Illini will likely juggle the quarterback position against the best team in the Big Ten West Division. Part of working toward the future is about keeping Thomas healthy and logging snaps.
If Lovie was about holding back the expectations from Thomas, McGee wasn’t playing it conservatively.
“He’s a talent,’’ McGee said. “The future is very bright for this kid.’’
McGee described Thomas as exhibit A in this staff’s ability to evaluate and lock down recruits during another rebuild for the Illini.
“He’s under control, very mature for his age,’’ McGee said. “He’s a leader. These guys follow him. He brings a certain level of excitement to people on our team. He can really throw the ball. When we first talked about him, he’s got those big hands. He can spin the ball. His foot speed is a major factor. That’s why I liked him from the beginning when not many other people did. Everybody got to see we were right in our evaluation.
“We’re just really glad to get him out there on the field with rest of the guys so our development as a program is happening faster.’’
Thomas is a confident kid, and that pick six won’t likely shy him away from a challenge again. Wide receiver Ricky Smalling, another early commitment, has 13 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns in the last two games. There’s hope in this freshman class.
Yet the next step for Thomas, like the rest of the newbies, is to learn from the mistakes and improve, rather than just making the same mistakes.
“I’ve been hoping that for most of these guys that we get a week better,’’ McGee said. “We’ve not necessarily gotten a week better. When the game is on the line, we start overthinking things, missing things or wondering what to do. It’s happened three weeks in a row. We have to learn from our experiences so we’re comfortable in that environment and go win the game.’’
It’s not just the freshmen, Lovie said, after losing for the fourth time in four Big Ten games.
“The entire group didn’t take a step forward,’’ Lovie said. “We have to keep grinding, keep pushing. Eventually, we will get there.’’
If so, a freshman quarterback might be leading the way.
John Supinie is a columnist for Orangeandbluenews.com. During the day, he’s an Audi Brand Specialist at Green Audi in Springfield. Call or text him at 217-377-1977 if you’re looking for an Audi, Volkswagen, Toyota or preowned car. Ask for the Illini deal.
