In final college football season, Fox Chapel grad Zidane Thomas makes most of return to LB for surprising Edinboro

Though he excelled on both sides of the ball at Fox Chapel, Zidane Thomas was recruited to play linebacker at Edinboro. But injuries in the Fighting Scots’ running backs corps prompted then-coach Jake Nulph to move Thomas to running back.

Thomas was happy to contribute, but every season, he asked Nulph if he could return to linebacker. He remained at running back, however, and saw spot duty between the 2022 and ’24 seasons, carrying a total of 59 times for 207 yards and four touchdowns.

When Nulph stepped aside to become athletic director at Kiski Area, a new coaching regime led by Matt Scott took over the program. So Thomas approached Scott with his plea.

“Legitimately maybe like the first week or two that I was on campus and getting around to all the kids, he was like, ‘Hey, coach, can I come talk to you? I’d really like to come and play linebacker,’ ” Scott remembered.

Scott liked Thomas’ athleticism and size (6-foot, 220 pounds), so he gave him the green light to return to defense.

The redshirt senior made the most of the opportunity. Though he typically plays only a few series a game at linebacker — he is a core special teamer for the Scots — he has contributed when asked.

Thomas finished the season with 30 tackles and a forced fumble. In Edinboro’s upset of Cal (Pa.) on Oct. 11, he had a personal-best five tackles. His best game, he said, came in a loss to IUP when he had four tackles and a forced fumble.

“The transition was easy,” Thomas said. “It was just getting back to my roots. It relates to being a running back. Knowing how a running back thinks helps my play at linebacker. I know how they want to hit a hole, what route they will run. I know the techniques. It all helps.”

That loss to IUP was the Fighting Scots’ only one in the PSAC West, which enabled them to share the division title with the Crimson Hawks. IUP earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs by virtue of the head-to-head result.

This was Edinboro’s best football season in nearly a decade. The last time the Scots (7-4, 5-1) won at least six games overall was 2018, and they hadn’t had a winning record in the division since 2017.

The season also included a surprising 38-8 thrashing of Slippery Rock in the PSAC West finale.

“It was lovely beating the quote-unquote big boys of the PSAC West,” Thomas said. “Coach Scott just talked about changing the culture, making Edinboro a winning culture, have people talk about Edinboro how they talk about Cal or Slip. This year is just a step closer to that goal.”

As for Thomas, Scott was pleased with his development. His only regret is this is Thomas’ final season.

“We really wish we had one more year with him because you’re seeing it start to slow down for him and really starting to get rocking and rolling,” Scott said. “I was really excited for him that he’s happy with his role and is ready to do whatever we need to do to win, and we can’t have enough of those guys.

“Where you’re seeing him step up more is bringing that physicality. … Usually every week or every other week, he’s got a hit on there where he’s absolutely levitating somebody.”

With Edinboro not landing an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, Thomas likely has played his last football game. If he doesn’t have any postgraduate opportunities in football, he plans to use his degree in business management (with a minor in marketing) to start his own business as an electrician.

Regardless, Thomas relished the chance to return to linebacker and play a big part in a groundbreaking season for Edinboro.

“Of course, I wish we won it all,” he said. “But, like I said, it’s just a step closer to what coach Scott has in mind for Edinboro and this school and community. From last year to this year, nobody expected us to be in this position at all.”