The News-Gazette · Dec 23, 2018
Ex-Illini has high hopes for Thomas' future
Jeff Thomas announced Friday his decision to join Lovie Smith and his Illinois football team.Terry Hawthorne is thrilled his former player, Jeff Thomas, is joining the Illinois football team.
"I feel good that he came back home, came back to the Orange and Blue family," Hawthorne said on Saturday.
But ...
"I would have loved for him to be in those shoes from the start," Hawthorne said. "Things happen and he makes his own decisions."
On Friday, Illinois announced that Thomas, the 2016 News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year from East St. Louis, is transferring from Miami to the Champaign-Urbana campus. He is set to join the team for spring conditioning and workouts.