University of South Alabama Athletics

Jaguar Highlights: Should contribute at running back, entering the preseason listed second on the depth chart at the position ... Missed most of the spring season due to injury.

As A Junior (2015): Played in 11 of 12 contests, earning starts at Nebraska and Texas State ... Was second on the team with 552 yards rushing — a total that ranks ninth on the program’s season record list — adding 25 yards on six receptions ... Ranked third on the team in total offense and was fourth in all-purpose yards ... Recorded a career-high 88 yards on 15 carries in Homecoming win over Idaho ... Rushed a season-high 16 times for 84 yards at Texas State ... Earned the coaches’ weekly offensive back award following win over Troy after finishing with 69 yards on 15 attempts to go along with a 10-yard reception ... Posted 58 yards on 14 rushes in win at eventual Mountain West Conference champion San Diego State ... Finished with 56 yards on just nine attempts in season-opening victory over Gardner-Webb ... Rushed nine times for 49 yards in season finale against Appalachian State ... Scored the first touchdown of the game for either team in consecutive road contests at Georgia State and Georgia Southern, recording 43 yards on six carries the first week followed by a squad-best 37 yards on eight attempts the next ... Had 38 yards on just five carries to lead the team against North Carolina State, and was also the Jaguars’ top rusher with 25 yards against Sun Belt Conference champion Arkansas State ... Recorded career-best two catches at Nebraska.

Junior College Highlights (2012-13): Was a first-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American in 2013 after running for 1,380 yards and 20 touchdowns at Dodge City (Kan.) CC ... Also earned first-team all-Jayhawk Conference honors after ranking fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game and third in rushing touchdowns ... Caught 14 passes for 71 yards and returned a kickoff for four more, posting a total of 1,455 all-purpose yards ... Gained 100-plus yards in each of the last eight contests of the season, culminating in a performance in which he carried 39 times for 258 yards and four scores against Scottsdale (Ariz.) CC in the Valley of the Sun Bowl ... Gained 249 yards and scored four times in win over Highland (Kan.) CC ... Ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns in defeat of Hutchinson (Kan.) CC ... Recorded three scores in each of the next three outings — all wins for the Conquistadors — while rushing for 166 yards against Fort Scott (Kan.) CC, 154 at Independence (Kan.) CC and 134 against Coffeyville (Kan.) CC ... As a freshman at the College of DuPage, led the team with 568 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground ... Efforts helped the Chaparrals go 9-2, earn a victory in the Citizens Bank Bowl and finish eighth in the final NJCAA rankings ... Was second on the team in all-purpose yards and scoring ... Recorded season-best 183 yards and two scores on 25 attempts against Ellsworth (Iowa) CC ... Rushed for 154 yards and a pair of touchdowns the following week in a win over Marian (Ind.) JV ... Posted 102 yards on just five carries, highlighted by a 78-yard touchdown run, in season-opening win over Erie (N.Y.) CC.

High School Highlights: A three-year letterwinner in football at Boylan Catholic High ... Helped the Titans to the state championship both his junior and senior years ... Ran for more than 3,000 yards his last two seasons, setting a school career record with 24 rushing touchdowns.

Personal: Full name is Tyreis R. Thomas ... Born June 15, 1994, in Rockford, Ill. ... Son of Steven and Marlo Thomas ... Is the third of five boys ... Favorite movie is “Django Unchained” ... Favorite book is “Touching Spirit Bear” ... Favorite team is the New York Jets ... Favorite athletes are LeBron James and LaDainian Tomlinson ... Favorite musical artist is Drake ... Favorite foods are burgers, fish and spaghetti ... Favorite subjects are English and psychology ... Likes fishing and hunting in his free time ... Would like to write books in the future ... Also recruited by Illinois and Iowa State in high school ... Was recruited by South Florida, Purdue and Utah State coming out of junior college ... Graduated from USA in May and is working on a second degree in English.