When fall practice starts in ernest, Thomas expects 160 players to be suited up for two-a-days.
"The defense is normally ahead in spring drills and in the fall," said Thomas as he watched his position coaches scattered about Finley Stadium running their players through warm-up drills. "The offense has so much timing to get down. All they need is a little confidence right now."
Well, that and the fact that the Tigers lost to graduation the leading rusher in the NAIA last year in Greg Fountain (157 yards per game).
As a matter of fact, Campbellsville ranked pretty high in several offensive categories: 12th in total offense (433 ypg) and rushing (200 ypg). They were 25th in passing offense (233 ypg) and 28th in scoring (30 ppg).
On the flip side the defense struggled in 2008, ranking 90th out of 91 teams in total defense and allowing 39 points per game.
"The expectation coming in was that our speed on defense would be better when we got our redshirt freshmen out here," offered Thomas. "That's the biggest thing about our defense now, our speed has improved ... at almost every position."
But Thomas can also tell that in his second year the players are grasping a little better the concepts, the expectations and the discipline.
"They're understanding a little more about what we want them to do, both on and off the field."
In a team huddle after the scrimmage, Thomas told his squad they had miles to go, but they'd also come a considerable distance.
"The defense didn't carry the load last year, the offense did," Thomas told his defensive unit. "But the defense is going to carry the load next (2009) year."
Before the Spring Game coaches will get together and draft two separate teams - dividing, as much as possible, the players into evenly matched units.
Thomas expects to continue to run a one-back spread offense with an even split of pass and run.
"Our quarterbacks are a little more mobile, so maybe we won't have to count on one back (like Fountain) to get all our rushing yards for us."
It will be almost four months after the Spring Game before players report for fall drills and Thomas knows teams develop just as much in the offseason as they do during it.
"Get with your coaches and they'll help you devise a summer workout regimen so that when you come back in August you''ll be in shape."
The Fighting Tigers' first game on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Cumberland University isn't all that far away.