Dave Thomas wanted a place where it felt like home without actually being home.

The Riverdale star and Class 5A Mr. Football told the University of Memphis over the weekend and emphasized his choice with a phone call to coach Tommy West Monday that he has verbally committed to play football for the Tigers.

"I thought I fit in with the city, the coaches and the people," Thomas said. "It's a good football town.

"It's almost perfect. It's two and a half hours from home. It's far enough to get away and close enough if I want to come home."

Thomas led the Warriors to the school's fourth state football championship this fall. He starred as a quarterback, cornerback, punt returner and punter for the undefeated BlueCross Bowl champions. He threw for more than 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns, rushed for more than 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns and scored two more touchdowns as a punt returner.

At Memphis, Thomas is expected to play as a slot receiver — a position he played during summer camps — and punt returner.

Currently, Thomas is rehabilitating his surgically repaired right knee. He was injured in the BlueCross Bowl Dec. 4 and had surgery Dec. 27 to repair a torn meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament. He is expected to be inactive for three months but was told recently by his surgeon that his rehabilitation is two weeks ahead of schedule.

Thomas' time at Memphis will not start until the January semester of 2006. He is waiting to hear from the Tigers' coaching staff on his options for next fall. He can enroll in January, play spring football and still have four years of eligibility.

"I didn't like it at first," Thomas said of being away from football this coming fall. "I'm going to miss 11 games, but I'll still have four years. It's kind of disappointing, and I'll miss football, but I know it's good for the long run. I'll be stronger and better than the freshmen that will be coming in the next year. There are more positives than negatives."

Thomas chose Memphis over MTSU, Virginia Tech and East Carolina. He had made an official visit to MTSU earlier this month and canceled trips to Virginia Tech and East Carolina.

Along with earning the state's highest individual honor as Mr. Football, Thomas was named first-team all-state by The Associated Press and the Tennessee Sports Writers Association. He was also named to the PrepNation.com All-America team.