What Tennessee defensive lineman Omari Thomas said about his decision to return to Vols

What Tennessee senior defensive lineman Omari Thomas said during his press conference on Tuesday about his decision to return for a fifth year with the Vols in 2024:

How his perspective on the Citrus Bowl changes now that he knows he’s returning to Tennessee next season

“Really I feel like this bowl game is just going to give us a step to just really go out there and continue to just prove and show who we are every day in this locker room. And that’s something that we are really just trying to put out there as just who we are as Tennessee football team. And this ball game gives us another opportunity for that.

The factors that he weighed in deciding to come back to Tennessee for the 2024 season

“Really just feeling if I could be more productive. Like my play, do I feel like I could be better? Do I feel like it’s still room for me to grow and all those things. So I feel like just coming back to college gives me the best opportunity to grow as a player and get the most out of it, what I feel like I can be as a player.”

When the last time he was on a team that didn’t include Jabari Small, should Small choose not to return to Tennessee

“The last time I didn’t play football with Jabari as far as little league football. Because we played in middle school, we played high school, college. Yeah, little league football. But at the same time we played against each other in little league football. But it’ll be different for sure. Like whatever he does, it’ll be different for sure.”

Conversations between players about returning to Tennessee and the reactions when players have announced their returns

“After the (Vanderbilt) game, like it really got to it. Like everybody was trying to see what everybody wanted to do and we all just, a lot of guys that want to be here, been through the program, just feel like it’s another step of the program can be. And we just talk to each other … let’s come back, let’s feel we use our presence, use who we are and just try to make the best out of it and at the same time like grow for our opportunity as well.”

His conversations with Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner about the possibility of returning next season

“He was really just telling me to do what’s best for me. Do what I feel is best for me as well, like the best opportunity where I feel I would contribute the most. Do I feel I would be good in the (NFL) or come back to college and grow as a player as well. And that’s really what he did. He put the whole full decision in me and my family’s hands. That’s just Coach G. He just wants the best for a player and that’s what we did, just speaking with me and my family, and we felt like coming back to college was the best thing for me to do.”

Tennessee’s ongoing preparation for the Citrus Bowl against Iowa

“Prep is going good. We’ve been coming in, just looking at the film, just coming in, really using this time to get better. It’s like we went back to true fundamentals, true like Day 1 type of teaching. Just so everybody’s just using it like a fresh restart for everybody. And it’s been good prep, been going good. The team, the energy on the team is good. Everybody’s locked in having fun, so it has been real good. 

How much the culture of the Tennessee football program brought him back for next season

“Yeah, it feels good. Being able to know that coming back, I get to come be in this building every day, get to go to work with those same guys who are out there, the coaches, and just to feel comfortable. It gives me a good comfort and just allows me to come be who I am. Just allows me to come in here every day, be carefree, have fun, be a leader to everybody. So that’s the best thing and I’m glad I get to come in the building every day.”

The next step for Tennessee’s defensive line, which returns a lot of production from the 2023 season

“I would say just not getting complacent. We see what we can do. We see what we can be. But we need to keep that level the whole time. I feel like at times throughout the season was where we’ll have play on and off, but we need to show who we can be like. And we can be a good defensive front for sure, good defensive unit. So we need to be able to play at that level every game.”