John “JT” Thomas became Plymouth State’s first Director of Strength and Conditioning in January 2019. Thomas joined the Panthers after an extensive career coaching championship teams, All-Americans, postseason award winners and first-round NFL draft picks as a strength coach at NCAA Division I powerhouses like the University of Miami, University of Georgia and Penn State University.
Thomas arrived in Plymouth after a three-year stint as Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach at Miami. Focused on return to play protocol, Thomas helped the Hurricanes produce nine selections in the 2017 NFL Draft, the most for the program in over a decade.
Thomas moved to Coral Gables with head football coach Mark Richt after the duo worked together at the University of Georgia. As the Senior Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning at UGA, Thomas worked with 21 All-SEC players and had 15 players selected in the NFL draft.
Thomas made a name for himself as the head football strength and conditioning coach at Penn State from 1992-2011. During that span Thomas was recognized with his 2002 selection as Master of Strength and Conditioning Coach, a title held by fewer than 30 people worldwide, and as the 1997 National Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. Under his guidance the Nittany Lions produced 124 All-Big Ten players and 81 NFL draft picks, including 17 first rounders. Penn State earned 16 postseason bowl invitations during his 20-years there, while 25 of his former graduate assistants went on to become college or professional level strength coaches or personal trainers.
Prior to that, Thomas spent three seasons at the U.S. Military Academy West Point, including the last two as head of the strength and conditioning program, from 1989-91. He served as a graduate assistant football and strength coach at University of Toledo from 1984-86, then moved to the University of the South for a two-year stint as football coach and strength coach for football and baseball from 1986-88.
A 1984 graduate of Muskingum College, Thomas started at defensive tackle for two years and at offensive guard for two seasons. An All-Ohio Valley Athletic Conference first-teamer and a second-team Division II All-American, Thomas was inducted into the Muskingum Athletic Hall of Fame in October 2008.
Thomas and his wife, Kelly, have three adult children.
