Lexington Thomas’ girlfriend not impressed despite Rebels RB’s breakout season

UNLV running back Lexington Thomas is 12th in the nation in rushing and third in the Mountain West, but his girlfriend isn’t impressed.

“My girlfriend told me (Monday) that I’ve got to step my game up. … She even gets on me about that,” Thomas said. “I try not to look at it like that. I just try to win a game. She wants me to be No. 1 at everything.”

With Thomas leading the way with 453 rushing yards and six touchdowns, the Rebels have the nation’s 14th-ranked rushing offense at 250.3 yards per game.

On paper, that sets up an advantageous matchup for UNLV (1-3) in Saturday’s Mountain West opener at Sam Boyd Stadium against Fresno State (1-3), which is 122nd in the country in rushing defense (262.5 ypg) and gave up 242 yards on 46 carries to Tulsa running back D’Angelo Brewer in Saturday’s 48-41 double-overtime loss.

“We’re doing some really good things, but those things have got to start translating into wins,” Rebels coach Tony Sanchez said. “Running the football is something that’s really important to us, something we believe in, and we have to continue to do it.

”But the more we do it, the tougher it’s going to get because people are going to scheme it, and they’re going to load the box, so we’re going to have to be able to throw the ball to loosen it up.”

Conversely, Sanchez also said running the ball well Saturday would make things easier on redshirt freshman quarterback Dalton Sneed in his first collegiate start.

“Being able to run the football and having the defense focus on that will allow us some free-access throws,” Sanchez said. “We’re going to need those things to be able to move the chains and get our quarterback settled in.”

Thomas, a 5-foot-9-inch, 170-pound sophomore from Houston, has settled in nicely as the starting running back. After compiling three 100-yard games off the bench last year as a true freshman, Thomas has three consecutive 100-yard efforts this season: 112 yards at UCLA, 113 at Central Michigan and a career-high 160 in Saturday’s 33-30 overtime home loss to Idaho.

In the conference, Thomas trails San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey — a Canyon Springs High School product and the nation’s leading rusher with 599 yards in three games — and Wyoming’s Brian Hill (463). Thomas credits the Rebels’ offensive line for his success.

“The better they go, the harder I’m going to run. The more they block, the more touchdowns and yards I’m going to get,” he said. “Everything starts with them up front.”

Averaging 6.9 yards per carry, Thomas had an 85-yard touchdown run against Central Michigan that matched the fourth-longest rush in school history and added a 55-yard scoring sprint against Idaho that tied the game with 5:09 to play.

“I try to get a home run every time,” he said. “The faster I can get the offensive line off the field, the more energy I’ll have for the next drive.”

Despite his career night against Idaho, Thomas was disappointed in himself for dropping a pass in overtime and not doing more overall.

“That’s something I have to get over personally, because after that last game, it really got to me,” Thomas said. “I know I was giving my all, but my all wasn’t enough, so I have to do more and go beyond what I did. When the pressure’s on, I’m going to deliver.”

UNLV is one of four Mountain West teams in the top 14 in the nation in rushing — Air Force is second (359.3 ypg), New Mexico is sixth (314 ypg) and San Diego State is 12th (260.7 ypg) — yet the Rebels have only one win to show for it. Thomas and his girlfriend are not impressed.

“We’ve got to do more,” he said. “I put some of that stuff on me because I’m the starter, so I’ve got to do more to help the team win.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33