When you have an unknown quantity, it's human nature to try and compare it to a known quantity. That's exactly what's happening this offseason with Virginia Tech's new starting quarterback, Logan Thomas.
For most people, including Matt Hayes from the Sporting News, the obvious Thomas comparison is last year's Heisman Trophy winner, Cam Newton, because of his size. Josh Parcell is a little more on the mark with Josh Freeman because Thomas plays in a pro-style offense. Even Stewart Mandel gets in the act with a Terrell Pryor mention.
But there's another quarterback I want Logan Thomas to play like who doesn't fit the mold that others are trying to stuff him into. After all, at 6-2, this quarterback couldn't possibly be similar to Thomas, right? Maybe. The guy I'd like Thomas to play like this year is Tee Martin.
While he doesn't have Thomas' size, Martin does have other qualities that are comparable to Thomas. He took over a program for a four-year starter who was beloved by his fan base and won well over 30 games as a starter but never captured a national title.
Like Thomas, Martin had a lot of talent around him in a pro-style offense that required him to merely manage the game and not do anything to cost his team the game. Martin did that to the tune of a 13-0 season and a national title for Tennessee in 1998.
Can Logan Thomas be Cam Newton in 2011? Hell no. The only thing Thomas and Newton have in common is size. Can he be Tee Martin? With the same amount of luck the Volunteers had in 1998 (last-second FG vs. Syracuse, missed FG by Florida, Clint Stoerner's fumble), sure he can.
The point here is we shouldn't be trying to put Thomas in a pretty little box just because it's convenient or he has the same build as someone else. We don't need Thomas to be something he's not for 2011 to be a successful season. Sure, Cam Newton won a national title. But so did Tee Martin.