Idaho Loses Running Back Thomas To A Broken Foot

Idaho running back Joel Thomas suffered a 4- to 6-week setback on a 3-yard carry in the second quarter of Saturday’s football loss at Idaho State on Saturday.

Thomas bounced outside on the run and was tackled by an ISU defender, who grabbed hold of Thomas’ face mask in the process.

“I got tackled by the facemask and my (left) foot was planted on the turf and it twisted so that the outside just popped,” Thomas said. “I felt like I had sprained it. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t think I had broken it. I figured if it was a break I wouldn’t be able to walk.”

ISU was penalized 15 yards; Thomas is penalized 4-6 weeks with a broken bone in his foot.

Thomas, injured on the 15th of his 28 carries, played the remainder of the game. In fact, he ran for a game-high 18 yards on his first post-injury carry and caught an 11-yard pass in the same series.

“He came out for a minute, shook it off and went back in and rushed for 100 (actually 110) yards,” UI coach Chris Tormey said. “He’s one tough son of a gun.”

It’s possible Thomas could be granted a medical redshirt year, but he’ll wait to see how his foot heals.

“There is a possibility that I could be back,” he said. “There’s also a possibility that it won’t heal and I’ll redshirt.”

Tormey said Thomas “might need surgery, he might not. He can decide to have surgery and they’ll put a screw in and leave it in for four weeks or he can let it heal on its own. It’s his call.”

Thomas peeled off his shoe after the game and his foot was black and blue.

This is Thomas’ second injury of the season. He hurt his knee in the first quarter of the opener at Oregon State. He continued to play, racking up 67 hard-earned yards on 24 carries. The junior from Port Angeles, Wash., eventually needed arthroscopic surgery and missed one game.

“It’s just dumb luck,” Thomas said.

Backup Lavoni Kidd, who rushed for 138 yards vs. Sonoma State when Thomas was sidelined, steps up to start. The backup will be sophomore Marcelle Williams.

Tormey said freshman strong safety Jerome Thomas was moved to running back to help at the position.

Tormey is hoping cornerback Arnold Gunn, out for two games with a shoulder injury, can return Saturday against Montana State to restore depth to the secondary.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo