TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Jaivian Thomas, known as "The Jet" for his blazing speed, was a local football star at McClymonds High School in West Oakland, combining for 4,208 yards on the ground over his final two prep seasons and earning North Coast Section Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2022. He led the Warriors to a state title as a junior and runner-up finishes in both his freshman and junior campaigns.

When it came time to take off for college, "The Jet" landed just five miles away from home in Berkeley. But on the field, it might as well have been halfway around the world.

Thomas became a member of a storied Golden Bears' backfield that has produced countless top running backs, including the likes of J.J. Arrington, Jahvid Best, Justin Forsett, Marshawn Lynch, Shane Vereen and Russell White, to name a few. The latest Cal great, Jaydn Ott, had almost half of the team's total carries in 2023 with 245 compared to the 18 opportunities Thomas got to run the ball as a rookie at Cal.
Ott, a 2024 preseason national honors candidate, was scheduled to be the team's workhorse again this season. To many, it seemed like "The Jet" may be grounded for a while. But Thomas understood the importance of being ready when he got the chance, which has come early this season with Ott limited due to injuries.

In the first three games of the campaign, Thomas leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with an average of 7.77 yards per carry, a number that also ranks 10th nationally. He is the Bears' leading rusher with 31 carries for 241 yards and one touchdown. Thomas had a key 32-yard scoring run at Auburn and then posted career-highs of 17 rushes and 169 yards in Cal's most recent game against San Diego State, including 57 and 37-yard runs that are the two longest of his career.

"Jaivian is an explosive player," offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Mike Bloesch said. "He's as explosive of a guy as we have on offense. He's someone we want to feature in the running game. What you saw against San Diego State, that's the type of home run ability he has."

"Jaivian was prepared to shoulder more of the load this year," Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox added. "And he did it in practice and in meetings. The key to all of this is that when you do get that chance that you are ready for it. It's just another lesson in being prepared, because you never know exactly when your time might come."

Thomas spent the offseason focused on preparing his mind, body and spirit, for his time on the field and life in general.

"I wouldn't say it's just about football," Thomas said. "I have the mentality that I have to be great and succeed at everything I do. I can't just be sitting around. My life has to be meaningful."

Part of his mindset has been about preparing himself in the weight room, where he has put on 15 pounds to increase his weight to 190. It has helped him break tackles that might have brought him down last year.

"It has made him even faster, too," running backs coach Aristotle Thompson said.

But nourishing his mind and body still weren't enough. His spirit was thirsty as well, and no story about Thomas is complete without a mention of his faith.

"I talk to God and pray every day," Thomas said. "It's something that gives me confidence."

His faith in God was challenged last season when he was injured in a game at Oregon that required an ambulance to take him from the field.

"My mind was a bit all over the place after that," Thomas said. "But as time went on, I felt like I was getting my groove back."

Thomas concluded that everything happens for a reason and decided to take another step in his faith journey this past summer when he was baptized at Saint John Missionary Baptist Church in West Oakland.

"It means a lot to me," Thomas said. "I feel like it was something I needed to do. It feels like I'm getting closer to God, my strength and my faith are growing, and my life is changing in the right direction."

Thompson agrees that Thomas is an all-around story of success.

"He's a guy who has shown you can thrive at Cal if this is where you want to be," Thompson said. "You can have the life you want here – on and off the field."