Smith, Thomas named to All-Century team
Posted on 10. Dec, 2009 by Brian Porter in '09 Season
The two most legendary Plano Wildcats of all time have been selected to the All-Century Football Team, as picked by fans in a popular vote through the University Interscholastic League.
The all-century team was released this week, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the UIL.
Two Wildcats’ players have stood out more than any other other and both were selected to the team – a list which could be considered an all-time, all-state team.
Defensive back Pat Thomas and defensive lineman Billy Ray Smith were each selected to the defensive All-Century Team.
Thomas was a second-team selection at defensive back. Smith was a third-team selection at defensive line.
No other Plano Wildcat was selected to the team. Plano East’s Justin Blalock was a second-team selection on the offensive line. No Plano West player was selected to the team.
Thomas was a two-time all-pro defensive back for the Los Angeles Rams. He was also selected to the all-time All-Southwest Conference team as a defensive back for Texas A&M and was a two-time consensus All-America at A&M. In 1974, Thomas led the SWC in interceptions with six.
Thomas played offense, defense and special teams for Plano and in 1971 led the Wildcats to their third state championship, a 21-20 victory over Gregory Portland. In 1971, Thomas scored a touchdown, converted a field goal and made plays on defense to beat Brownwood and lift Plano to the championship game. Legendary coach Gordon Wood was said to have asked if Thomas “drove the bus, too” after the game.
Smith remains the highest drafted Plano ISD football player of all-time, being selected fifth overall in the 1983 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. Like Thomas, he was a two-time consensus All-America at Arkansas and a member of the all-time All-SWC team. He still holds the Arkansas record for tackles for loss with 63. He is a member of the Arkansas Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.
Smith helped Plano to its fourth state championship in a 13-10 victory in 1977 over Port-Neches Groves in front of a state-record crowd of 49,953 at Texas Stadium, which remains the largest crowd to watch a high school football game. Smith also played a key role that season in the “Miracle Game”, when Plano rallied from a 28-0 deficit to defeat Highland Park, 29-28, and then shutout Odessa Permian the following week to reach the state final.
Both Smith and Thomas are members of the Plano ISD Hall of Honor. Among their achievements at Plano, Smith and Thomas were among 18 Plano Wildcats which have been selected as Texas High School Coaches Association all-stars.
