Ohio State’s Thomas on Biletnikoff Award Watch List – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 15, 2015
| Junior wide receiver Michael Thomas led the Buckeyes with 54 receptions last year. |
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State junior wide receiver Michael Thomas has been named to the 2015 Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list, announced today by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation. Named after pro and college football hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff, the award annually recognizes the most outstanding receiver in college football.
Thomas led the Buckeyes with 54 catches last season (14 in the postseason) and was second on the team with 799 yards with nine touchdowns. He played in all 15 games with 14 starts. Thomas had three receptions over 50 yards, which ranked 14th nationally and third in the Big Ten, and had 29 receptions of at least 10 yards. He had a career-high 98 receiving yards vs. Virginia Tech and 91 vs. Michigan State.
The Los Angeles native made several huge plays for the Buckeyes last season, notably in the win at No. 8 Michigan State in primetime when he caught a short slant from J.T. Barrett and darted 79 yards for a game-tying score in the second quarter. But probably his most impressive TD came in the Sugar Bowl victory over No. 1 Alabama when he leaped high in the end zone to snare a pass from WR Evan Spencer, then twisting and landing his left foot parallel with the out-of-bounds line for a crucial touchdown with 12 seconds to play in the first half.
Terry Glenn is the only Buckeye to win the award back in 1995 when he caught 64 passes for 1,411 yards (22.0 yards per catch) and 17 TDs.
Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes the outstanding receiver, not merely outstanding wide receiver. The award winner will be presented live on December 10 on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.
MICHAEL THOMAS’ RECEIVING STATS
| YEAR | G-GS | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 2012 | 11-0 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 0 | 10 |
| 2014 | 15-14 | 54 | 799 | 14.8 | 9 | 79 |
| TOT | 26-14 | 57 | 821 | 14.4 | 9 | 79 |
THOMAS’ GAME-BY-GAME STATS
2014
| Game | Rec. | Yards | TD |
| at Navy | 3 | 39 | 1 |
| Va. Tech | 6 | 98 | 1 |
| Kent | 2 | 77 | 2 |
| Cincinnati | 2 | 33 | 0 |
| at Mary. | 4 | 75 | 1 |
| Rutgers | 4 | 55 | 0 |
| at Penn St. | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Illinois | 6 | 67 | 1 |
| at Mich St | 3 | 91 | 1 |
| at Minn. | 4 | 45 | 1 |
| Indiana | 2 | 22 | 0 |
| Michigan | 3 | 34 | 0 |
| vs Wisc. | 3 | 41 | 0 |
| vs Bama | 7 | 66 | 1 |
| vs Oregon | 4 | 53 | 0 |
