After missing most of the first half of Oklahoma’s season, R Mason Thomas says he’s almost back to 100%.
The sophomore defensive end, who arrived on campus last year as a 17-year-old, injured his ankle during fall camp. He returned in the Sooners’ 31-29 win over UCF and provided a pass rush spark with three quarterback hurries.
"R Mason is a dude,” junior defensive end Ethan Downs said after practice on Monday. “He's fast. He's athletic. He's smart. During fall camp, he beat everybody out at the (defensive end) position. I don't know how to say this ... He's wired the right way. He's always in tune. He's always focused. When it's time to ball, he's there. His eyes are always right.”
Prior to his setback, many penciled in Thomas to start over Downs. The former four-star recruit quickly impressed OU head coach Brent Venables and defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis in 2022, when players and coaches labeled him a “freak.”
Thomas appeared in 10 contests last season and recorded seven total tackles, including one for loss and half a sack. For Thomas, the injury was tough to come to terms with at first but became easier seeing his teammates have success during Oklahoma’s first few games.
“It was a little frustrating at first,” Thomas said. “But now I’ve got to get out of that frustration and look at what God has planned. The first two days there was frustration, doubt and all the negative things. I had to renew my mind and step forward from there.
“ … Cheering my teammates on was probably the best thing I could do on the sideline for those games and now I'm actually playing and cheering my teammates on, it's even better.”
Freshman defensive lineman R Mason Thomas during game against Baylor on NOV 5.
Since the spring, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native has bulked up nearly 20 pounds with help from director of sports enhancement and strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt as he’s up from 222 to 240 pounds. Thomas says he used to work out every day and see no progress, but it wasn’t until he changed his diet he began to gain more weight.
His gains have helped improve his pass rush.
While Oklahoma’s pass rush led by Downs, Wake Forest transfer Rondell Bothroyd and reserves Oklahoma State transfer Trace Ford and Marcus Stripling, ranks in the top 50 nationally with 17 sacks, Thomas, when healthy, can provide a “twitchy” athleticism.
What has led to the Sooners’ defensive pressure improvement from a season ago? Thomas says another season in Venables’ defense.
“It's mostly mental,” Thomas said. “So the more times you see it and the more reps you get out of it, it starts clicking.”
Often one of the last players to leave practice, Thomas keeps his head down and leads by example.
While he’s not where he wants to be yet, Thomas has one of the highest ceilings on the team, according to Venables, and having him close to being fully healthy is a welcome sign. When OU (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) travels to face Kansas (5-2, 2-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday on Fox, Thomas will be ready to continue showing off his growth.
“For being a young guy,” Downs said, “I've been so impressed by him and trying to mimic a lot of his qualities with his discipline and his footwork and things like that and his flexibility. It's made me a better player."
