36
n o r t h w e s t e r n f o o t b a l l • D I G I T A L P R O G R A M • N O R T H W E S T E R N v s . M I N N E S O T A
much what we do in this program, is very much a part of who we are. So I'll miss it from the standpoint
that I won't be able to be there with my brothers. But I think I can promise you I won't be back there."
THE JOURNEY: "First and foremost," Thomas says when asked to reflect on his career, "I just thank
the man upstairs for not only blessing me with the ability to come to Northwestern, but blessing me
with the opportunities and talents that I've been given. Then I look back on my times, it was by no
means an easy ride. There were times when I didn't think I'd be in a fifth year, when I didn't think I'd be
a starter here. Naturally, as a college athlete, you go through struggles, you go through questioning
your abilities. So to be going out on Ryan Field for the last time is a little bittersweet for me. Hopefully
we send ourselves and everyone else who'll be in attendance Saturday out the right way."
AND FINALLY, Fitzgerald, when asked if he allows himself time to reminisce about the 20 seniors
who will be honored on Saturday: "You kind of do that in the off-season a little bit. We self assess.
When we make the statement we want to be the best player-development staff in the country, we
mean it. So we kind of look at where guys went throughout their four years. Why did it work? What did
they do? What did we do to help them? Then you look at guys where maybe it didn't work out the way
we all wanted it to work out, and diagnose the reasons that happened. if It's anything we can adjust
or tweak, we definitely work on that."
