![]() And he didn't ask for anything – it's not like I have to put his name on anything. "For him to write checks and give back to the program… If you're not making big cheese yet you're still giving back to your alma mater, well, that's him. "Let's be honest, the first two years, he didn't play much – he was hurt," Burton said. The total ranges from $6,000-$10,000, and Burton said Thomas' generosity has not been publicized. Burton said Thomas, who will make $555,000 this season, has cut a check since 2011 to cover the expenses. He receives a check from Portland State to secure housing, but it doesn't cover the entire cost. It hasn't been a flawless transition for Thomas – he was arrested recently in Denver for failure to appear in court on a traffic violation – but he hasn't forgotten where he comes from.Įach summer, Burton's freshman recruits arrive on campus early to get acclimated. "I used to watch a lot of USC, and when I saw Julius, I was like, 'That's Mike Williams.' That was his body type." "Your eyes immediately went to this kid," said Louis Franklin, athletic director at Tokay High who served as an football assistant coach while Thomas was there. ![]() The former power forward is now a starting NFL tight end who hauled in two of Peyton Manning's NFL record-tying seven touchdown passes during a five-catch, 110-yard evening. Geving shared that memory this week after watching Thomas' breakout performance in the Denver Broncos' season-opening 49-27 rout of the Baltimore Ravens. We said, 'You'd take one hit and that would be the end of you.'" "He always joked about it, or we thought he was joking about it," Geving told USA TODAY Sports. Geving viewed it as more of the bravado he'd come to expect from Julius Thomas, who hadn't laced up a pair of cleats since his mother made him give up football in high school. Tyler Geving, the basketball coach at Portland State, used to chuckle when the backup power forward would talk about playing football once his eligibility on the hardwood was exhausted.
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