By Jamie H. Vaught
KySportsStyle.com Magazine

In nearly 40 years of Mr. Kentucky Football award winners, we haven’t seen many stars from the eastern Kentucky mountains who have captured the coveted award. Just a very small handful of standouts like Tim Couch, Kash Daniel and Scott Russell to name a few.
As you may know, Daniel Thomas is the latest eastern Kentucky product to earn Mr. Football honors when the Bell County High School star won the prestigious award in 2023. The 5-foot-9, 185 pound running back and linebacker set state records for rushing yards (3,817) and total points scored (373) in guiding Bell County to a 13-2 mark, including an appearance in the Class 3A state finals at Kroger Field. Thomas also scored 54 touchdowns while rushing for an average of 9.5 yards.
Asked about finishing his high school football career on a very high note, Thomas had an interesting response in a recent interview.
“My favorite moment at Bell County High School wasn’t what you would expect,” said Thomas, who is now a freshman at the University of Virginia Wise. “At the end of the state (finals) game, I was able to look back into the crowd, and I couldn’t help but notice that no one had left the game. To me that was a spectacular moment, and a testament to the culture we had built.”
For Thomas, winning the Mr. Kentucky Football honors wasn’t a sure bet as he had to overcome the odds. It’s not easy for a star player from southeastern Kentucky mountains to get publicity or recognition.
“I believe, if nothing else, it was proof that a small-town kid can make a huge difference. You do not have to be over 6-foot, 200 pounds and live in a big city to make a difference,” said Thomas. “As long as you listen to your authority and give your best effort, everything will take care of itself. Really to me, I hope that was the message that the younger generation received, and I hope to see this prestigious award won in the mountains more often.”
Bell County’s Dudley Hilton, who is currently the all-time second-winningest high school football coach in Kentucky with 443 victories, loved Thomas’ work ethic.
“My favorite memory of Daniel is his determination to do everything that he knew how to do to get the win for his team,” said Hilton. “He had so many big games, but two games that really stand out to me are the 2023 game at Belfry (with a 24-22 victory) and the state (finals) with Christian Academy of Louisville (a 41-16 loss).
“I always felt confident that Daniel would carry out his assignment, be it on defense or offense. His work habits and hours of preparation were second to none. I was so proud that Daniel won Mr. Football, not for me or our team, but for himself. It was the ultimate reward for all the countless hours of hard work that he put in to achieve victory. He was truly one of a kind.”
As far as his football career is concerned, Thomas mentioned two people who had significant influence.
“I would credit two very important people in my football journey. One of those people being Darrin Clark, who played at the University of Kentucky, and the other being my father Darrin Thomas,” he said. “Coach Clark was one of the first people I would consider a believer in Daniel Thomas. Everyone always told me I was a hard worker, but coach Clark actually believed in the skill set I brought to the game.
“In my eighth-grade season, he trusted me to play QB. From then on, I was blessed to be in a position of leadership and he let me carry the ball a lot which prepared me promptly for the years to come.
“Similarly, my father taught me what hard work is. This mindset was not just in football, though. He taught me to give my best effort when I’m mowing the grass, doing my school work, or digging a ditch for the basketball goal we put up together in my youth. I remember from a young age my dad quoted this Bible verse which is Genesis 3:19 ‘By the sweat of your brow you will have your food…’
“My dad had this engraved into my head at a very young age, and his ability to show me the Lord matched no other. On top of that, I stole my trademark after contact spin that I have seen on VHS tapes growing up.”
While Thomas could have played football at other colleges, he chose UVA Wise.
“Coming out of high school I had 13 offers. Five of those offers coming from (NCAA) Division 1 programs, but none of them made me feel as wanted as UVA Wise did,” explained Thomas. “Coach (Gary) Bass immediately won me over. He assured me I was going to have a great career at UVA Wise, and he gave me the scholarship to back that up. He really made the decision easy, and I’m very grateful for where I’m at.”
Thomas just completed his fall semester as a freshman football player, seeing limited action. It wasn’t an easy adjustment for him.
“Going from being the leader of a program for a couple of years to being a role player on a college team was a big difference, but I was able to get some great experience,” he said. “Through my entire freshman season, I was blessed to play every snap of special teams, and this taught me what the speed of the game was like. It was definitely a humbling experience going to college; however, I’m ready for Year 2 and making my mark.”
At this point, Thomas isn’t sure about his academic major.
“My major is undecided, but I’m leaning towards going the psychology route,” he said. “My toughest class last semester was Spanish, but I had a great professor who is actually from the Louisville area. His name is Dr. Kern, and he was very patient and helpful last semester.”
Thomas commented that his classes are face-to-face, not online. “I hope to continue in person because I love networking with new people,” he added.

Jamie H. Vaught, a longtime sports columnist in Kentucky, is the author of six books about UK basketball, including recently-published “Forever Crazy About The Cats: An Improbable Journey of a Kentucky Sportswriter Overcoming Adversity.” Now a retired college professor who taught at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in Middlesboro., he is the editor and founder of KySportsStyle.com Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter @KySportsStyle or reach him via email at KySportsStyle@gmail.com.