Grace Christian football coach Justin Price has the utmost faith in his superstar athlete, Terrion Thomas.
Thomas does everything for the Rams. Price puts him in the backfield, under center, split out wide ― anywhere they can get him the ball.
So when Price, who sits in the press box during games, heard Thomas' voice on his headset asking to run a certain play at Webb on July 18, the third-year head coach had to grant his wish.
"All of a sudden, I heard Terrion," Price told Knox News. "On one of the touchdowns he caught tonight, he got on the headset before that and said, 'Hey coach, I think if we run this play, it'll work.' We ran it, and he scored.'"
Thomas
repaid Price's faith with four touchdowns in Grace Christian's 45-10 win over Webb. The Rams remain undefeated at 4-0 and 2-0 in Division II-AA East play, while the Spartans are still winless at 0-5, 0-2.
Thomas scored in just about every way on offense. He ended with six catches for 70 yards and a touchdown; seven carries for 66 yards rushing and two touchdowns; and he threw a 29-yard touchdown pass, his second of the season.
"My coaches always put me in the right positions, and they trust me to make a play," he said.
The passing touchdown drew some good-natured criticism from senior quarterback Corbin Hobson. Hobson tossed two TDs of his own and 269 yards on 17-of-20 passing.
"There was a little bit of wobble on it, but it got there, so we're good," Hobson said.
Price and the Grace offense missed Thomas the entire 2025 TSSAA season with a broken foot. He's determined to use the 2024 Division II-AA Mr. Football semifinalist in every way possible.
"We just try to take advantage of Terrion's skill set," Price said. "He's so versatile. He's such a confident player and he's so smart ... he loves football, and I think you see that motivation from missing a year last year. Tonight, he had a bunch of different ways he scored, and it's fun to watch."
Thomas, though, isn't the only outside threat on the Rams' offense. Hobson opened up the game with a touchdown to freshman Braylen Mathis, who picked up an offer from Auburn football on Sept. 13.
Junior receiver Anderson Glover caught Thomas' touchdown pass, and senior Kaden Webber added 59 receiving yards to a stat line with five tackles, three quarterback hurries, a tackle for loss and an interception.
"I think we're the best (receiver room) in the state," Webber said. "We've got all the talent."
Even with the elite production, it all comes back to Thomas.
"Everything," Hobson said, "revolves around him."
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How Grace Christian football's Terrion Thomas called his own TD in Webb win
