By Michael Kinney
OKLAHOMA CITY— More than a dozen boys gathered on a football/utility field in downtown Oklahoma City recently. They ranged in age from toddler to recent high school graduates. While half the field was being used for soccer practice, this group occupied the other side and most of them were carrying a football and bottles of water
The athletes were all on hand to take part in Casey Thompson’s Quarterback Training Camp. Hosted by the former Southmoore High and Newcastle standout, the two-day camp focused on the quarterback and wide receivers.
For Thompson, it was a way to pass along a little knowledge like his father (Charles) and older brother (Kendal), both former quarterbacks, had done for him while also training for his upcoming football season at Florida Atlantic University.
“Just being back home in Oklahoma City for the week and just training every day, I figured it’s a good opportunity to just let kids come out and train and get some work in,” Thompson said. “I just want to give back to the kids. And I really like watching. I like watching quarterbacks throw and receivers catch the ball. That’s just the art of playing football and the craft that I love and enjoy.”
Thompson was joined by his long-time speed and agility coach Ron Brown and former Southmoore teammate Quindon Lewis, who now coaches wide receivers at Moore High School.
The camp wasn’t just a quick little meet and greet. Thompson takes the art of quarterbacking serious and before he even started he wanted to make sure each of the campers were serious about it as well.
“I just want to give back to the kids. I remember the times that my brother and my dad spent training all of us when we were kids,” Thompson said. “My trainer out here, Ron Brown, used to train us back when we were 13, 14 years old for hours every day. I just feel like kids need more of that. I think these high school athletes who want to go to the next level and that have dreams of going pro and making it far in life, teaches them hard work and attention to detail.”
Thompson could see himself in these boys who have big dreams at such a young age. He has been fortunate and talented enough to make some of them come true, but he is not done yet.
Thomson, who has already earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees, will be heading to Boca Raton (Fla.) where he is set to play his sixth and final year of collegiate football. After stops at the University of Texas and the University of Nebraska, the 24-year-old will finish up at Florida Atlantic University.
Despite throwing for 2,400 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Cornhuskers in 2022, Thompson decided to close out this leg of his football journey at FAU under first-year head coach Tom Herman. The Owls are making the move to the American Conference in 2023.
“I’m going there for my last year eligibility. When I left Nebraska, I knew it was going to come down to Auburn or FAU. I went on a recruiting trip to both. Those are the first recruiting trips I’ve been on since back in high school. So that was interesting. I just decided to make a decision and go with it.”
Thompson is hoping he can help take the Owls to the next level and provide a stable presence under center.
“I’m excited about the opportunity. I just want to have a healthy season, get some good protection on the offense line and be able to throw the ball to my skill players,” Thompson said. “It doesn’t matter who’s out there, I’m always going to just try to go through my reads and progressions. I’ve been on a lot of different teams, a lot of different faces, and I’ve had a lot of different athletes and talent around me.”
When the 2023 campaign at FAU comes to a close, Thompson’s full attention to earning a spot on a NFL roster. It’s a dream he has had since he first started slinging the ball around the yard.
Until then, Thompson wants to savor this last year in college for all it’s worth. However, he has watched the game change in dramatic ways since he left high school. Some for the better and some not so much.
“It’s the same, but it’s very different,” Thompson said. “Meaning football is the same and the university is always going to be the university and college football will always be what it is. I think historically it’s been a tradition of fan bases and alumni and the college campus and game day atmosphere. But behind closed doors, everything is changing. It’s turning into kind of a business a little bit. With NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and the transfer portal, all it does is allow college athletes to be treated as normal students, normal businessmen. Normal everyday civilians. And I think that it’s really good for college football that athletes have more power. But think football should be the main focus as well as academics, and I don’t want it to kind of steer too far from that.”
Thompson has had time to reflect on his journey. From starting as a freshman at Southmoore to going through the recruiting process before signing with Texas as part of the 2018 class.
In his first three seasons with the Longhorns, Thompson attempted a total of 29 passes.
It was during the 2021 season, Thompson was able to show what he can do and started 10 of the 12 games he played in. He completed 165 of 261 passes for 2,113 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 157 yards and four more scores.
The next year he transferred to the University of Nebraska where he started in 10 games before entering the transfer portal.
It’s safe to say Thompson’s college career has not played out exactly like he thought it would. But the journey has allowed him to experience different aspects of the game and the business that he never could have expected.
“It’s been interesting. It’s been adverse,” Thompson said. “There’s been a lot of difficult situations. But I would say my love for the game and just the love for the comradery of being on a team and being around people who are at a high level has kept me positive. It’s kept me going this far and I’m looking forward to continuing to keep pushing and to just press on.”
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