UNLV Rebels Running Back Jai'Den Thomas Motivated To Be The Best In The Mountain West

The UNLV Rebels football team is set to kick off in 10 days on August 23. They enter the season with a lot of hype surrounding their program and probably the highest expectations the team has ever had. No one has higher expectations set on him this season than running back Jai'Den Thomas. Thomas is projected to not only be the Rebels' offensive star but also the best running back in the Mountain West Conference.

He isn't shying away from those expectations. His expectations for himself are even higher than what others have set for him. Jet understands that he needs to take things to the next level this season because he isn't just a guy anymore; now he's the guy. The junior running back understands this and sounds like he's ready to put the team on his shoulders and run and with it in 2025.

Thomas On Pushing Himself To Becoming Mentally Stronger

“I feel like last year I was just playing, just happy for the opportunity,” Thomas said. “So I wanted to push myself to be the best version I can be. I mainly worked on mental reps. At the end of the day, football is football. I worked on the mental aspect of things and watched other running backs and watched film from our spring scrimmages.

Thomas On Dealing With The Brutal Las Vegas Heat At Practice

“It just feels great to be back playing. Happy being around the guys. We came back really prepared because of coach Mullen. Our offseason training really helped prepare us for the heat. Thank God when there’s a little breeze.”

Thomas On Head Coach Dan Mullen

“(Mullen) is that and some more. I’m just glad to be part of his offense. He’s really helpful and tells it like it is. Tells us what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong. I’m very grateful for that.

Thomas On High Expectations

“It clearly motivates me to be considered (the Mountain West’s best running back), but I need to just stay with what I’m doing and keep things regular and be myself... You can expect to see some home runs this season. That’s all I can say right now. We want to win the Mountain West badly. We’re hungry. That’s the first goal. We just have to maintain that. Whatever happens after that happens.”