Cleveland High School football coach Marty Wheeler admitted he wasn't sure what to expect when he found out Destun Thomas was transferring from Bradley Central this year.
As it turns out, all Thomas wanted was a chance - and it's fair to say that so far this season, the junior receiver and defensive back has taken full advantage of the opportunity presented to him.
Thomas didn't play his first two years of high school. He admitted earlier this week he had fallen behind academically, which prompted the much-needed change of scenery. The move has been big on the field for the 6-foot-2, 175-pounder - who has 241 yards on 10 catches and leads the Chattanooga area with four touchdown receptions just two games into the season - but equally important off it, as Thomas noted he feels he has been "held accountable" in the classroom.
"I realized I needed to mature and understand that class is everything," Thomas said. "And then school was fun; they were holding me to a higher standard."
He didn't start playing until middle school, and once he got to Bradley, he battled injuries and was behind all-state selection Tray Curry and Kannon Hall, the Bears' leading receiver last season. That was also a factor in his move to Cleveland, which lost its season opener to Knoxville Central but got a glimpse of what Thomas could offer the Blue Raiders as he intercepted a pass and made four catches for 72 yards.
A week later, Thomas exploded on the scene, intercepting another pass and making four touchdown catches in a 38-12 win over Hardin Valley.
"He's gotten accustomed to being around here for a while," Wheeler said. "He's a little bit more outgoing, more personable. He consistently comes to practice, and I don't think he has bad days. I think a lot of the work he put in last summer, you saw pay off last Friday."
So why was Wheeler, in his second season leading the Blue Raiders after previously coaching at Covington, leery at first?
"You aren't sure about what type of mindset they had where they've been previously," he said. "A lot of times, if you had guys with the skills to contribute, they definitely didn't have the work ethic.
"Maybe he had been told before he got here that the expectations would be high and that he would have to work, and maybe he prepared himself for it or maybe he did it on his own, I don't know. All I know is that I've had nothing but a great experience with him as far as his attitude and his work ethic."
The personable nature of Thomas is hard to miss. He smiles a lot and appears to be genuinely excited to be making the most of his opportunity.
The Blue Raiders open their Region 2-6A schedule Friday night as they visit state-ranked No. 2 Maryville, and while it appears to be quite a task - no Chattanooga-area football team has defeated the Rebels since Cleveland's 42-6 win in 1994 - Thomas isn't assuming anything.
"I've got to step up and actually play against them and get to learn how to play," he said. "I'm going to be a bit nervous, but I'm also really excited to get to play against them."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.