Darron Thomas 03.17.14

Portland Thunder quarterback Darron Thomas watches the TV screen late in his team's loss to the San Jose Sabercats, 64-34, in the opening game of arena football in Portland at the Moda Center. Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian

(Randy L. Rasmussen)

As he leaned back on the worn titanium bleachers at the Tualatin Indoor Soccer facility last week and began to tell his story, Darron Thomas was wearing almost all black.

The former Oregon Ducks quarterback had just finished practice with the AFL's Portland Thunder, and he sported a black jersey over his shoulder pads with a familiar No. 1 emblazoned on the back in white. Thomas' pants, helmet and cleats all matched, and his right sock was black, too.

But one piece of clothing — the dark green sock on Thomas' left foot — stuck out.

"I got to have something from Oregon," Thomas explained after practice. "Gotta represent."

It was a quirky wardrobe choice drowned in significance. Beyond the typical pride Thomas feels for his school, the green sock provides motivation for an AFL player who drew the attention of the nation less than three years ago.

Back when he was decked out in green on game days, Thomas led the Ducks to the BCS title game in 2011, and he helped Oregon claim victory in the Rose Bowl a year later. He threw for a school-record 66 touchdowns in Eugene, garnered buzz as a Heisman Trophy candidate and played a key role in the program's rapid ascent to national powerhouse.

But since that Rose Bowl triumph, Thomas has undergone a steep stumble out of the spotlight. He entered the NFL draft early but wasn't selected and failed to latch on with an NFL team. He couldn't stick in the Canadian Football League, and he even lost out on the starting quarterback spot with the Thunder this season.

After each pitfall, though, Thomas has harkened to his success at Oregon. It keeps him going and kindles hopes of a revival. And the memory of his triumphs in Eugene help him find the belief that he can return to the relevance he enjoyed when he was in Oregon green.

DARRON'S DECISION

Bob Jones coached Thomas at Aldine High School in Houston, so he knew he'd have a hard time changing the signal-caller's mind in the winter of 2012.

Jones, after all, has seen how Thomas' unique tenacity and confidence dictate his decision-making. The way Jones puts it, Thomas would "go hunt Moby Dick in a row boat and bring tartar sauce with him."

But when Thomas told his longtime mentor he wanted to forgo his redshirt senior season at Oregon to declare for the NFL draft, Jones still tried to talk him out of it. And he wasn't the only one.

"His mom, coach [Chip] Kelly, coach [Mark] Helfrich and I had really long conversations with him," Jones said. "And everyone said, 'Don't do it, Darron.' "

Thomas wasn't projected as a sure-fire draft pick by most media outlets, and pundits seemed to agree that he'd benefit from an extra season of college football.

But Thomas knew his stock was relatively high after becoming the Ducks' all-time leader in touchdown passes and compiling a 24-3 record as a starter in Eugene.

"I went to the national championship and won a Rose Bowl," Thomas said. "So my mindset was, 'What else can I do here?' "

"Darron, just like me, man, we all have the dream to go to the NFL," said former Ducks cornerback Terrance Mitchell, one of Thomas' closest friends. "Shoot, with the numbers he put up, I would have left, too."

Thomas ultimately chose to sign with an agent, ending his college career and handing future first team all-conference performer Marcus Mariota the reins in Eugene.

And on draft day, Thomas didn't hear his name called. He didn't immediately sign a free agent contract, either.

He hasn't found stability since.

'A BUSINESS'

"It's tough," Thomas said. "But it's tough for everybody."

That's all the former Ducks star would offer about the emotions he felt in the months following his decision to leave Oregon. Several weeks after the draft, Thomas spent time working out with the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.

After he failed to ink a deal with those teams, Thomas signed on with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders but left after spending a year on the practice squad. Everywhere he went, Thomas heard praise for his talents and improvements before he was eventually shown the door while higher draft picks and seasoned veterans remained on the rosters.

"It's all a business," Thomas said. "There's really nothing you can do. You can go bust your ass, but it's not about you, it's not about your skill set. You got a million people saying, 'You're good, but we don't want you.' "

Thomas hasn't let much get to him, though. While he took time off after leaving the Stampeders to contemplate his next move, he fielded calls from former Oregon teammates like Mitchell and Ravens tight end Ed Dickson, who encouraged him to keep working toward the NFL.

Thomas told his friends not to worry. He said he'll keep working on aspects of his game to attract NFL scouts — things like smooth footwork when playing under center and a quicker release — with the thought that all he needs is for one team to take a chance on him.

"He's been through what's killed a lot of guys and players, not getting drafted and going to Canada and not getting to play there," Jones said. "What I like about Darron is he just keeps working."

'BRINGS YOU BACK'

As the rest of the Thunder filed out of the Tualatin Indoor Soccer building after practice last week, Thomas leaned forward on the bleachers to point out a group of his teammates slipping through the double doors while carrying their helmets and shoulder pads.

"It's weird, man," Thomas said.

Since high school, Thomas has left his gear in the locker room or on the field after practice. Equipment managers would pack away his pads and wash his jersey. This year, however, Thomas is responsible for such deeds himself.

At Oregon, Thomas remembers a half dozen student volunteers sprinting around the practice field to offer water to the players. At Thunder practices, Thomas has to jog over to the sideline to snag a drink.

"It brings you back — not even to high school — to little league," said Thomas, who signed with the Thunder last fall to play in the team's inaugural season.

Still, Thomas says he's enjoying his time in Portland despite the unfamiliar circumstances. He said he's built friendships with the players around him, who are all auditioning for spots on rosters in the CFL and NFL, and he cherishes support from Oregon fans in the area.

But after he was heavily marketed in the preseason as the Thunder's marquee attraction, Thomas squandered opportunities to grab a firm hold on Portland's quarterbacking job. Thomas started the season's first three games and completed 50 percent of his passes while throwing four touchdowns to four interceptions. After that, Danny Southwick took over as starter.

In the fast-paced arena games played on a 50-yard field, quarterbacks are asked to make quicker decisions than they are in outdoor competition, and Thomas struggled with the transition, Thunder coach Matthew Sauk said.

"It's a difficult coming into this game," Sauk said. "Darron's improved, but there's still a few things from timing to accuracy that he has to get down."

Until he does, Thomas' venture into the AFL is just the latest misstep in a career that's yet to generate any positive momentum.

EYES ON THE FUTURE

Three days after Thomas explained the reasoning behind his green sock, the quarterback plopped onto a table in the Moda Center media room Thursday night to address the most recent development in his journey.

Minutes earlier, the Thunder capped a 62-56 victory over the New Orleans Voodoo, but Thomas was barely involved. He didn't throw a pass and had two carries for a combined zero yards. Thomas — the third player in the Pac-12 history to throw for 30 touchdown passes in two separate seasons — even served on kickoff coverage Thursday night.

On New Year's Day 2012, Thomas threw three touchdowns before an announced 91,245 in a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin. Thursday, he spent most of the Thunder game on the sideline while 7,969 fans at the Moda Center looked on.

But none of that seemed to faze Thomas. He sat on the table after the game with his legs swinging and a smile on his face. He touched on how cool it was to see fans in Ducks gear, and he praised his teammates for their performance in the victory.

And when he asked how his career had unfolded over the past two-and-a-half years, Thomas said he didn't regret anything, including his decision to enter the NFL draft early.

"It just wasn't my path," Thomas said. "Everybody has a 'what if,' a 'what if you would have stayed,' but you never know what would have happened."

Thomas' future is uncertain, but he hopes to sign with a CFL team this fall and is encouraged that he'll land with an outdoor team somewhere.

For now, about a month remains in the AFL season, meaning the 4-10 Thunder will be back at practice this week. Thomas said he'll be there wearing the black practice jersey he washed himself and shoulder pads he lugged into the facility from his car.

And, of course, Thomas will find a way to sneak some green into his uniform. That way, he can tap into a source of confidence rooted in the past, while keeping his eyes on the future.

"People saw what I did at Oregon," Thomas said Thursday. "I know I can get back there."

-- Aaron Kasinitz | @AaronKazreports