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Tennessee safety Jakobe Thomas had extra support during the Volunteers' 25-15 win over Oklahoma, as his cheerleader girlfriend, Keegan Ward, shared her excitement on Instagram.
Ward posted a photo with the caption:
“Jumped for Joy after this!!! So Proud.”
Thomas, who contributed two tackles and recovered a fumble at then-No. 15 Oklahoma on Saturday, also shared a moment with Ward, posting a photo of the two on the field from a game at UT with the caption:
"Love life with you."
Earlier in the season, Thomas faced a tough moment when he was ejected for a targeting penalty during a dominant 71-0 win over Kent State. Despite the ejection midway through the second quarter when the Vols were up 51-0, the redshirt junior returned to action against Oklahoma.
In 2024, he has already racked up eight solo tackles and one pass deflection, continuing to be a key player for the fifth-ranked Volunteers (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference).
Meanwhile, Ward added to the celebration with another Instagram story, humorously writing:
"A little prune for the Vol win obviously."
Jakobe Thomas finds home in Knoxville
Middle Tennessee State safety Jakobe Thomas had plenty of options after entering the transfer portal but made his decision in December, choosing the Tennessee Volunteers.
Ranked as the No. 10 safety in the portal, Thomas had an impressive run in three years at MTSU (one as a redshirt), tallying 108 tackles and four interceptions over two seasons. Originally a three-star recruit, he joined Middle Tennessee State in 2021.
Thomas initially committed to Oregon State after entering the portal, but a last-minute change of heart kept him in Tennessee. Thomas went to Tullahoma (Tennessee) High.
"Getting the chance to wear the orange and white as a Tennessee kid, it's different for me," Thomas said, according to AtoZ Sports.
"I wanted to be here (out of high school), but Coach Pruitt told me I was never going to be able to play SEC ball," he added. Jeremy Pruitt coached the Vols from 2018-2020.
After receiving offers from more than a dozen schools, Jakobe Thomas chose Oregon State before Tennesse coach Josh Heupel's staff persuaded him to reconsider.
