Zavion Thomas Q&A: LSU Transfer, Punt Returns and More

On transferring from Mississippi State to LSU…

I just really wanted to come back home and enjoy playing football with guys I grew up with. Coming to LSU has been a dream ever since I was a little kid. So, it was like a no-brainer coming here

On what makes him a good punt returner…

Really just Coach (Bob) Diaco giving me the confidence to go out there and just be me. I’ve been having success with it since I was a freshman. So just him talking to me throughout the meetings and give me the “go” to just go out there and be a football player

On what goes through his mind when a punt is coming down…

Make a play. Make a play to win the game. That’s all it is. Just be me. Don’t think too much of it. It’s like second nature now at this point.

On reading punts to catch them…

Sometimes it can be real confusing, and I don’t think people understand that. When I started as a freshman, it was kind of hard just getting the trajectory of the ball in the air. But now that I got that down, it’s really just me having confidence in my teammates that are blocking for me. And me just trusting them to get me in the endzone because without them I’m not getting in the endzone.

On his return that nearly went for a long gain against USC…

When I see (the ball) in the air then looking down and glancing, seeing the hole it’s like a rush going through my body. It’s exciting. And then when I got tripped up against USC, ugh. I came to the sideline, all my teammates telling me I had it and stuff like that. But I really didn’t know it was that bad until I went home and we got home to watch it on film. That broke my heart.

On integrating into a new offensive system…

It’s been great. Talking to Coach (Cortez) Hank(ton). B snaps, Coach Paul (Turner) them just guiding me down the right direction and giving me the confidence to just be a football player.

On the ways he is used various ways in the offense…

It’s not very difficult because (the coaching staff) help me a lot. Anything I need, I go to them, and they make it clear for me. So, it hasn’t been that hard picking up on all the plays.

On his NFL tattoo and his goals…

I got this NFL tattoo at 17 or 18. It was right before college in my senior year. It’s been a dream growing up. It was my goal. There was never a Plan B, Plan C, none of that, just NFL or nothing. So, every day I look at this (tattoo) just like motivation to just keep on going.  I’ve been knowing I was going to play college football ever since I fell in love with the game, so the tattoo didn’t give me the urge to know I was going to play at the next level. It’s just been a thing I’ve been wanting my whole life.