66 Desmond Thomas
	Class: Senior Hometown: Beltsville, Md. High School: High Point Height / Weight: 6-3 / 285 Position: Defensive Tackle Birthdate: 03/13/1977 Experience: 3L

Returns as the incumbent at right defensive tackle with 13 career starts to his credit . . . had two solo tackles and blocked a field-goal attempt in the 1999 Green-White spring game . . .

AS A JUNIOR: Appeared in nine games in 1998, including two starts at right defensive tackle (vs. Colorado State and Indiana), and played 111.5 minutes . . . sidelined for three games with a sprained right knee (vs. Notre Dame, Northwestern and Purdue) . . . recorded 27 tackles (18 solos, 9 assists), including four for losses (9 yards) . . . produced a career-high seven tackles (4-3) vs. Indiana . . . made six stops (4-2) vs. Central Michigan . . . had two tackles for losses vs. Oregon, including his only sack (5 yards) of the season . . . credited with six tackles (3-3) vs. Colorado State while playing a season-high 24 minutes . . .

AS A SOPHOMORE: Presented MSU-Tommy Love Award as the team’s most improved defensive player . . . saw action in 11 games in 1997 (DNP vs. Ohio State), including 10 starts at defensive tackle . . . registered 42 tackles (20 solos, 22 assists), including six for losses (34 yards) and three sacks (27) . . . had two tackles for losses (13 yards), including a sack (10), and recovered a fumble vs. Penn State . . . recorded six stops each vs. Purdue (3-3) and Memphis (4-2) . . . picked off the first pass of his career in the '97 season opener vs. Western Michigan . . . played a season-high 64 snaps vs. Northwestern . . .

AS A FRESHMAN: Appeared in 11 games in 1996, including a start vs. Louisville, and played a total of 94 minutes . . . worked behind Robert Newkirk at left defensive tackle . . . credited with 14 tackles (9 solos, 5 assists), including two for losses (7 yards) . . . recorded three stops (2-1) vs. Stanford in the Sun Bowl, including one behind the line of scrimmage (3 yards) . . . had three hits (0-3) vs. Michigan while playing a season-high 21.5 minutes . . .

1995 SEASON: Sat out the entire 1995 season for academic reasons . . .

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Parade first-team All-American and USA Today second-team All-American in 1994 . . . ranked as the nation's No. 1 defensive tackle by Blue Chip Illustrated . . . rated the Mid-Atlantic Region's No. 7 prospect by SuperPrep . . . named Prince George County Conference Player of the Year as a senior . . . produced 80 tackles, including 40 for losses (216 yards), in ’94 while helping High Point High School in Beltsville, Md., to a 7-3 record . . . born March 13, 1977 . . . majoring in park recreation and tourism.

Thomas’ Career Statistics

       G/GS   UT   AT   TM   TFL-Yds.  Sacks
1996   11/1   9    5    14   2-7       0-0
1997   11/10  20   22   42   6-34      3-27
1998   9/2    18   9    27   4-9       1-5
Career 31/13  29   47   139  12-50     4-32