Ask any Georgia player about teammate Mike Thornton, and his eyes light up with delight.
Everybody loves this guy. Known inside the Bulldogs’ locker room as “Meatball” for his stocky 6-foot-1, 296-pound frame, it’s not just Thornton’s playful nickname and fun-loving demeanor that makes him endearing. It’s also his work ethic, his sticktoitiveness and late-in-coming success that makes him one of their favorites.
“He’s a vet, one of the old heads,” senior cornerback Damian Swann said. “He gets the utmost respect from everybody. He’s one of those guys who’s been here for a while and now he’s playing a lot. And he’s earned that. He’s put in the time and work to be that guy. And he’s been playing well.
Said linebacker Amarlo Herrera: “A great leader. He has that work ethic. When a guy who has been here so long and hasn’t had a chance to play but is constantly working and constantly trying to get better, you respect that.”
Thornton’s success definitely has been hard-earned. He came out of Stephenson High as a pretty big deal. He was a consensus four-star prospect, a SuperPrep All-American and a sought-after recruit with offers from virtually every school in the South.
But when it came to getting on the field for the Bulldogs, it was a long time coming for Thornton. He came in at the same time as former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham — now of Louisville — who favored behemoth nose guards such as Kwame Geathers and John Jenkins.
With the two 350-pounders in front of him, Thornton rarely cracked the lineup. He was redshirted his first season, then totaled seven tackles in his first three seasons on the field. He did not record a stop at all in 2012.
Thornton also had trouble settling in with a coach and a style of play. He started with Rodney Garner as his position coach, then had Chris Wilson and now Tracy Rocker.
But Thornton finally broke through this season. He held off charges from Chris Mayes and other younger players to earn nine starts at nose guard and/or defensive tackle. He’s played in every game and recorded 26 tackles, four quarterback pressures and a tackle for loss.
“It’s been great,” Thornton said. “It’s just ball at the end of the day. It’s been a journey for me here these five years, but I’ve enjoyed the whole process.”
Well, that’s not entirely true. Thornton did think long and hard about transferring and trying to start over at someplace new. He almost pulled the trigger in the 2013 season.
“I talked to some people about it, family, friends,” he said. “I just didn’t feel like I was getting the shot I deserved here.”
Others agreed.
“Look at where he’s been and what all he’s been through,” said fellow senior Ray Drew, who rooms with Thornton. “This is his fifth year, and he didn’t really get an opportunity until now. So he’s really stuck it out.”
For a clue as to why, one should check out the dog tags Thornton always wears around his neck. There is one for each of his late grandparents, “Little Joe and Maddie Pearl.” They played a big role in his upbringing, which began in southwest Georgia.
You’ll never see Thornton without those chained around his neck. He wears them even during games. He says they’re there to remind him to just get up early every day, work hard, do what’s right, do your best, then do it all over again. Those were his grandparents guiding principles.
“I got them my freshman year,” Thornton said. “It just has their names and their birth dates on there. They’ve always been my guardian angels.”
That’s part of Thornton’s personality, too. He’s not long on talk or the need for attention. He enjoys the work and routine and camaraderie that football provides. That is what draws the respect of coaches and teammates.
Georgia’s coaches made him a defensive captain for the South Carolina early this season and at the Senior Gala last weekend, he was elected defensive captain for the year, along with Herrera.
“I’m very happy for Michael,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “He has worked hard. He’s had his share of disappointments as far as not getting on the field as much as he had hoped early in his career. But he stayed the course. … He’s a guy who just hanging in there banging away getting a chance as a senior and taking advantage of it.”
Surely Little Joe and Maddie Pearl are beaming.
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