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Noah Thomas is taking expectations at Georgia 'head on'

On3 imageby:Jake Rowe•04/10/25•

JakeMRowe

Noah Thomas
Photo: DawgsHQ

Noah Thomas finds himself in a situation that is both familiar and very different when compared to one year ago. Rewind to last April and Thomas was trying to get used to a new coach, just like he is now. But the expectations couldn’t be much different.

Texas A&M moved on from Jimbo Fisher at the end of the 2023 season. It hired Mike Elko, who had the team ultra-competitive in his first season at the helm. That surpassed all expectations, but there’s no denying the fact that Thomas’ former team was viewed much differently in 2024 than how Georgia is now.

Those types of expectations can be a bit daunting. They can make it hard to focus on the task at hand. Thomas doesn’t see it that way.

“Well, I believe pressure is a privilege, so God put me in this position to be here,” Thomas told reporters on Tuesday. “I walk with a lot of faith over fear, so I’m ready for any challenges, any adversity that comes my way, and I’m going to take it head on.”

The 6-foot-6 210-pound pass catcher entered the transfer portal on the first day of 2025. Georgia was an immediate contender largely due to wide receivers coach James Coley. Those two became well acquainted in College Station with Coley recruiting Thomas to Aggie Land and coaching him, too.

The Texas native got better with each season. Thomas caught just five passes for 51 yards as a freshman but two of those went for touchdowns. He hauled in 29 passes for 351 yards and five scores as a sophomore and set new career highs a year later with 39 grabs for 574 yards and eight touchdowns.

But after spending the first 21 years of his life in the Lone Star State, Thomas felt he needed a change. In order to grow as a player, Thomas felt a new challenge was needed.

“No knock on A&M. Just wanted something different,” Thomas said. “Leaving is definitely — you got to mature. Different state. Like, first time really living out of state for me, so that was a change as well. But yeah, man, I really see Georgia on the big stage all the time. Like y’all see it every time, every year. Coach Kirby Smart, great coach all around. He’s going to coach you hard, and that’s what all players should want: want to be coached hard so you can get better and better every day.”

It’s highly unlikely that Thomas is a stranger to hard coaching. Players don’t often reach the levels that he has by being coddled. Still, there was some culture shock when he got to Athens.

Thomas admits that he was “spooked” when Kirby Smart pointed that infamous practice-field microphone toward him. He recalls the times when Fisher would put together difficult practice, how he would refuse to mince words as well.

He also sees getting coached hard as a very good thing. Thomas feels that when a coach feels the need to single you out, it’s because he sees potential. He’s trying to unlock something great.

Just like I keep saying, man, I love the hard work because, I mean, it makes you better on and off the field,” Thomas said. “It makes me a better person as well, just going through all those obstacles.”

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