Penn State’s Derrick Thomas Leaves Team For Personal Reasons

Penn State cornerback Derrick Thomas has left the team for personal reasons, according to the school's Athletic Department. Thomas was involved in an incident last summer with Curtis Drake that resulted in disorderly conduct charges. The circumstances of his leaving the program this summer are unknown, aside from the cited personal reasons.

The departure of Thomas adds to the lack of depth in the Nittany Lions' defensive backfield. Head Coach Bill O'Brien announced in June that Drake was no longer with the team. Drake was a possible starting corner and Thomas, who played in 10 games last season, was also expected to be a key contributor in a defensive backfield replacing all four starters from the 2011 season. Thomas is the fourth player to leave the program since O'Brien came on the job in January. Adrian Amos, Stephon Morris, and Mike Wallace are currently the only three scholarship upperclassmen cornerbacks in the program.