Texas A&M Football’s Houston Thomas Set for Homecoming Against UTSA

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – Houston Thomas, tight end for UTSA, is returning to Kyle Field for the Texas A&M football season opener this Saturday. The matchup against his former hometown team is a moment Thomas has looked forward to since high school.

“I looked at it like in high school, whenever I committed here, I kind of saw four years from now, which is now, that we would be playing in them,” Thomas said. “So I’ve definitely been excited for the moment, and I’m excited to go out there.”

Once a standout wide receiver for the College Station Cougars, Thomas impressed fans with his performance, racking up 1,551 yards and 13 touchdowns during his high school career. College Station head coach Stoney Pryor noted Thomas’s unique abilities. “He was really a dangerous weapon as a receiver, and over time, we’re like, man, if we could kind of get you in there and put your hand on the ground and use you as a tight end sometimes and a wide out,” he said.

Thomas’s size, measuring at 6 feet 5 inches, made him a notable player even as a freshman. Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko recalled remembering Thomas from his son’s time at school. “Remembered as a 9th grader, like hey, we’ve got this big tight end, who I think is really good,” Elko said.

After nine starts last season for the Roadrunners, Thomas is now on the John Mackey Award preseason watch list. Elko expressed confidence in Thomas’s potential. “He’s got the ability to get in line, and he’s a really, really good blocker,” Elko said. “I’m sure he’ll go on to have an NFL career as well.”

UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor is also optimistic about Thomas’s performance this season. “He got voted into a single digit; he got the zero. So really proud of him and how far he’s come,” Traylor said.

For Thomas, returning home is particularly special. “Growing up, I went to a lot of games there, so I’m very familiar with the stadium and how loud it can actually get,” he said. “A bunch of family, a bunch of high school coaches, a lot of them hitting me up asking for tickets.”

As the excitement builds for the season opener, Thomas anticipates a unique experience at his childhood stadium. “My mom’s gonna have a tailgate there, so I think it will be a really cool experience,” he added.