Paul Thompson hasn’t played a meaningful down at Oklahoma, yet the quarterback already acts like a seasoned pro.
At OU’s media luncheon Tuesday, all eyes were on him as he prepares for his first career start at 11 a.m. Saturday when OU hosts TCU at Owen Field.
And he was trying to set an example. He was there to say he’s ready for the challenge, a challenge he fully understands.
“The main thing is just getting the consistency, the leadership,” Thompson said. “When I came in, I saw Jason (White) go down and Nate (Hybl) stepped up. He was a great leader for this team and that was one of the main reasons why we won the Rose Bowl that year.
“When Jason stepped back in for the last two years, he was a great leader on and off the field. I take a lot of things from those two guys that will help me.”
Fact is, Thompson’s had plenty of time to absorb what the quarterback position means at OU. He knows he has to be the leader.
But he’s possessed those traits longer than his three collegiate years.
When he arrived in Norman prior to the 2002 season, White and Hybl were neck-and-neck for the starting quarterback job. White won it, but vacated it three games into the season with a season-ending injury against Alabama.
Hybl completed the season and led OU to a Big 12 title and a Rose Bowl win. White reclaimed the job in 2003 and moved the Sooner offense to unparalleled heights, while winning the Heisman Trophy.
Thompson had to wait for his turn even if it meant three seasons on the sideline.
“I definitely knew my day would come,” he said. “I just continued to prepare myself and put myself in the situation that I’m in now.”
It would have been understandable for a guy with his size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) and speed (4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash) to move to another position or transfer to another school.
But it would have gone against his nature. Thompson set out to become OU’s quarterback and that’s what he was going to do.
“I just kind of stuck it out through all of that,” he said. “It was just my upbringing. I’m not going to give in. I’m not going to quit. I’m not going to back down to competition in any way.”
Offensive coordinator Chuck Long said that competitiveness was one of the reasons the Sooners wanted him as a quarterback.
“I look at him as a self-made player. He’s made himself into a quarterback,” Long said. “Here’s a guy that wasn’t recruited as a quarterback very heavily. Most teams wanted him as a wide receiver. But he made himself into a player. He’s like a self-made millionaire or business person. That’s what he did for himself. Now he’s in position to be a starting quarterback.”
He has certainly paid his dues. He backed up Hybl and White for two seasons and redshirted last year. He battled with redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar for the starting job the last eight months.
Nothing has been given to him.
He’s earned everything. And he’s gained a wealth of respect because of it.
“I appreciate his toughness, his work ethic, his character and the way he’s fought through everything,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “All of our players respect him. We do as coaches.
“He’s been a great team guy and has fought for his opportunities, and he’s got them. It is a testament to the kind of character that he has.”
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Related Photos
-
testcaption Transcript Photo by Kevin Ellis
Discussion
Character counts with Thompson
- OU Sports
-
-
Sooners did not show up to play
Texas had something to play for. So there’s that. If the Longhorns are to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, this was just the kind of game they absolutely had to win....
-
With W.V. set free by Big East, Big 12 schedule’s out and it’s backloaded for Sooners
With West Virginia finally receiving its release from the Big East Conference on Tuesday, the Big 12 Conference was finally able to release its conference football schedule for the 2012 season....
-
Red River rut
The rut Oklahoma has been trying to escape for the last two weeks continued to grow deeper with a 69-58 loss to Texas Tuesday night at Lloyd Noble Center....
-
OU gearing up for Texas’ Brown
If Oklahoma guard Steven Pledger had his way, tonight’s meeting with Texas will come down to two players: himself and Longhorn guard J’Covan Brown....
-
Sooners will have a dramatically new look up and down the order, on the mound
The clubhouse at L. Dale Mitchell Park hasn’t changed over the last year. Just about everything else has since the 2011 baseball season ended. The locker stalls have 20 new nameplates. The coaches’ locker room has two new ones as well. ...
-
Despite hard fight, UConn wins big
By its own standards, the Connecticut team that took the floor Monday night at Lloyd Noble Center was not in the same class as its previous incarnations. But a down year for the seven-time national champions is still better than just ...
-
Believe it or not, OU women are progressing
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma appeared plenty willing to embarrass Oklahoma for a third time in seven games....
-
OU reeling from stunning loss to Texas Tech
As Oklahoma’s players headed toward the exit at United Spirit Arena on Saturday night, most had dazed looks on their faces. The 65-47 loss to Texas Tech was something they didn’t see coming....
-
Husky challenge
No time might seem like a good time to face Connecticut. The Huskies are always terrific and this season will enter Lloyd Noble Center likely ranked No. 2 following Notre Dame’s Sunday loss to West Virginia....
-
Sooners put finishing touches on perfect opener
Oklahoma capped off a perfect opening weekend of softball on Sunday with an 11-1 victory over Kent State. The Sooners were led by another strong outing from pitcher Keilani Rickets and an offensive explosion by Allee Allen....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners did not show up to play
