cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Star Thomas /Tennessee

Star Thomas

RB · Tennessee · Sr · #9

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

596 RUSH YDS · 7 RUSH TD · 104 CARRIES

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Tennessee for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Tennessee for 2026

Updated May 27

2026 Depth chart

Returning starter

Running back · Tennessee

Returning around him

  • 22% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • 5 Tennessee players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -8 net (21 in / 29 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Tennessee · Last season: 8-5 (AP #18) · Talent rank #16 · 2026 recruiting class #11

RB · TENNESSEE · SEC

Star Thomas

  • 4
  • #9
  • 6-0 | 210 lb
  • Homer, LA

CFB Zeitgeist Score

67

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by yards / carry at the 79th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#73

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP RB AWARD

Doak Walker

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career arc · Season-by-season Standing

4 seasons on the ladder

Peak: R09 All-Conference HM / 2nd team · 2023

2022

New Mexico State · RB

2023

New Mexico State · RB

R09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team

Recognized

2024

Duke · RB

2025

Tennessee · RB

Development Trajectory · rushing yards

2022–2025
5242022
6532023
8712024
5962025

+14%

Modest growth (14%) across the multi-season window.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
No recruit profile
CFB
College
3 teams
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionRB
Class4
Jersey9
Measurements6-0 | 210 lb
HometownHomer, LA
Primary teamTennessee

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree Not on file No matched recruiting profile in the loaded archive
Composite rating -- Composite rating unavailable for this player
Signed with -- Commitment history unavailable
Origin -- Hometown and high school unavailable
Class Profile Context
No recruiting profile is on file for this player.

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#73Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#72Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Star Thomas

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

67

Mixed Sentiment

Sample 3 mentions
Confidence BELOW-FLOOR

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 3 mentions · belief +33 · "Tennessee did exactly what it was supposed to do on Saturday with FCS ETSU, winn"Own fansNational: 2 mentions · belief +100 · "It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Get your daily college s"National
  • Own fans · n=3
  • National · n=2

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Star Thomas

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the rushing totals stand

final
Through 13g
596Rush yards
104Carries
7Rush TDs
Per game
45.8Rush yards
8Carries
1Rush TDs
Final
596Rush yards
104Carries
7Rush TDs

Why the honors trail matters

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

The useful clue on this card is not just the Heisman rank, but the broader honors spine. Star Thomas already has 1 loaded recognition item, which helps distinguish a player who is merely productive from one who is already earning selector-level validation.

Current place #73 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 12.0% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Transfer path 0 portal moves

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

RB season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Scrimmage yards 712 596 rush | 116 rec | #118/735 (84th pct)
Rush TD 7 104 carries | #62/739 (92nd pct)
Yards/carry 5.7 Per-rush efficiency | #152/735 (79th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Backfield contributor against FBS RB peers.

Balanced profile

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Rushing

CAR
104 79th
YDS
596 84th
YPC
5.7 79th
TD
7 92nd

Receiving

REC
11 65th
YDS
116 74th
YPR
10.5 81st
TD
2 97th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 13 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppCARYDSAVGTDLONGNote
Wk 1W 45-26vs Syracuse12927.7022Season-high 92 yds
Wk 2W 72-17vs East Tennessee State12695.83193 rushing TDs
Wk 3L 41-44vs Georgia9606.7027
Wk 4W 56-24vs UAB9515.7121
Wk 5W 41-34@ Mississippi State10333.3011
Wk 7W 34-31vs Arkansas10232.309
Wk 8L 20-37@ Alabama3268.7019
Wk 9W 56-34@ Kentucky10646.4117
Wk 10L 27-33vs Oklahoma5102.005
Wk 12W 42-9vs New Mexico State5306.0121
Wk 13W 31-11@ Florida9717.9152
Wk 14L 24-45vs Vanderbilt100.000
BowlL 28-30@ Illinois9677.4021
Total1045965.4752
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2022New Mexico State7-6HC: Jerry Kill · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2023New Mexico State10-5HC: Jerry Kill · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2024Duke9-4HC: Manny Diaz · Pass-leaning
2025Tennessee8-5HC: Josh Heupel · Balanced
SeasonTeam
2025Tennessee1045965.77--
2024Duke2138714.17--
2023New Mexico State1126535.84--
2022New Mexico State1085244.95--
Career4 loaded seasons5372,6444.923--
SeasonTeam
2025Tennessee1111610.52--
2024Duke201537.71--
2023New Mexico State222009.12--
2022New Mexico State1215112.63--
Career4 loaded seasons656209.58--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Rushing WEPA

Opponent-adjusted rushing value. It helps separate empty volume from carries that actually move the scoreboard.

Role share

How much of the team's offense flows through this back once rushing work and receiving work are combined.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Receiving work 11 116 rec yds | #195/552 (65th pct)
Usage 12.0% 20.9% rush share | #253/738 (66th pct)
Rushing WEPA +0.18 Opponent-adjusted rush value | #84/362 (77th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Rushing Rushing yards 596 #118/735 84th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing Rush TD 7 #62/739 92nd pct Scoringvs FBS RB
Rushing Yards / carry 5.7 #152/735 79th pct Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving Receptions 11 #195/552 65th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving yards 116 #142/548 74th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Value Rushing WEPA +0.18 #84/362 77th pct Opponent-adjusted rushing value | 91 weighted playsvs FBS RB
Usage Role share 12.0% #253/738 66th pct Share of team offensevs FBS RB
Rushing Carries 104 #154/739 79th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing Rushing LONG 52 #153/733 79th pct Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving LONG 21 #218/540 60th pct Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving Yards / catch 10.5 #104/548 81st pct Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving TD 2 #20/552 97th pct Scoringvs FBS RB
Usage Rush share 20.9% #249/738 66th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS RB
Usage 1st-down usage 13.3% #260/738 65th pct Early-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Standard-down usage 13.2% #261/738 65th pct Base-situation sharevs FBS RB
Usage 2nd-down usage 12.5% #251/738 66th pct Middle-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Passing-down usage 8.5% #267/738 64th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS RB
Usage 3rd-down usage 8.2% #277/738 63rd pct Money-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Pass share 3.1% #298/738 60th pct Air-game usagevs FBS RB

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 13 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Home8g41.94.50.6
Road5g52.26.70.4

Win vs Loss

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Wins8g54.15.60.9
Losses5g32.65.00.0

First half vs Second half

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Weeks 1-77g56.45.60.6
Weeks 8+6g33.55.20.5

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

67Solid starter
7 metrics · season cumulative

Production sits in the middle of the position cohort across the board.

Rush TDs#62 / 349 · 80th pct
7rush
Yards / carry#68 / 349 · 79th pct
5.7rush
Rush yards#118 / 349 · 66th pct
596rush
Long run#136 / 349 · 61st pct
52rush
Rec yards#132 / 338 · 61st pct
116rece
Carries#154 / 349 · 56th pct
104rush
Receptions#179 / 338 · 45th pct
11rece

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · RB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

wepa_rushing0.18Mid (p50–p75) (n=178)

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 7 metrics
Star ThomasTennesseeNate FrazierGeorgia· 83% simJeremiah CobbAuburn· 82% simSire GainesBoise State· 82% sim
Rush TDs
80
Thomas
72
Frazier
62
Cobb
84
Gaines
Yards / carry
79
Thomas
71
Frazier
71
Cobb
53
Gaines
Rush yards
66
Thomas
87
Frazier
88
Cobb
82
Gaines
Long run
61
Thomas
72
Frazier
51
Cobb
51
Gaines
Rec yards
61
Thomas
61
Frazier
47
Cobb
41
Gaines
Carries
56
Thomas
87
Frazier
88
Cobb
84
Gaines
Receptions
45
Thomas
63
Frazier
45
Cobb
45
Gaines

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Balanced Back

Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.

RB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Logan Diggs’s 2023 season.

Logan Diggs

82%match

LSU · 2023

#2

Ja'Kobi Jackson

Florida · 2024

79%
#3

George Holani

Boise State · 2023

76%
#4

Kaytron Allen

Penn State · 2022

NFL Rd 6
74%
#5

Devin Neal

Kansas · 2022

73%

Matches Logan on

Weight
Rush TD rate
Receiving share

Differs from Logan on

Height (lower)

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to George Holani's senior season at Boise State (2023).

George Holani

82%match

Boise State · 2023

All-Mountain West
#2

Chez Mellusi

Wisconsin · 2023

77%
#3

Jase McClellan

Alabama · 2023

All-SECNFL Rd 6
77%
#4

Billy Lucas

Liberty · 2024

72%
#5

Le'Veon Moss

Texas A&M · 2025

71%

Matches George on

Receiving share
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Josh Heupel

Pass share

47.3%

437 pass / 486 run

Plays / game

71.0

13 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

5.4%

334 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Balanced.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

1 coach
2022
Josh Heupel
Tennessee
2023
Josh Heupel
Tennessee
2024
Josh Heupel
Tennessee
2025
Josh Heupel
Tennessee

Played his entire career under Josh Heupel.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownHomer, LA
Height6'0"
Weight210 lb
Class4
PositionRB
Jersey9

Trophy Case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

1 entries
🎖

ALL-CONFERENCE

All-Conf mention (2023)

All-Conference USA

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

All-Conference

1 all-conference honor

Conference-level recognition helps anchor whether a player is merely statistically loud or actually viewed as elite within his competitive lane.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
2023 All-Conference USA all_conference New Mexico State | Conference USA RB

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Duke RB4 #73 #72 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | ACC
2023 New Mexico State RB4 #372 #464 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Conference USA
2022 New Mexico State RB4 #310 #425 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | FBS Independents

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Tennessee SEC RB 4 No. 9 | 6-0 | 210 lb | Homer, LA
2024 Duke ACC RB 4 No. 9 | 6-0 | 210 lb | Homer, LA
2023 New Mexico State Conference USA RB 4 No. 9 | 6-0 | 210 lb | Homer, LA
2022 New Mexico State FBS Independents RB 4 No. 9 | 6-0 | 210 lb | Homer, LA