Zach Thomas was fierce competitor on the football field. A unanimous All-American selection at Texas Tech, Thomas was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame this past December. But as tough as nails as he was on the gridiron (and he was tough enough to be a seven time NFL Pro Bowl selection) there was one person he knew not to challenge:  legendary Red Raiders Head Coach Dykes.

“I was a young and I could have gone the wrong direction,” he says. “I had friends who did go the wrong direction. I was fortunate to have a father figure like Spike Dykes in my life. It made a difference. One bad decision and I’m not here today, getting ready to go into the Hall of Fame.”

He recalls the day Coach Dykes put him on the right path.

“It was my freshman year and I got the call. I got THE call. I needed to come to his office. I did and Spike gave me the talk. He said, ‘Your talent can get you to the top, but your character is what keeps you there.’ That really stuck with me forever.”

It’s advice that he’s passed on to his children and to young athletes he encounters.

“Be prepared for life. The game for most college players – they don’t get to move on

and get paid for playing the game.  Education gives you a chance. On the football field I prepared to be successful. You have to do the same in life. Prepare to be successful.”