Thompson ignites MSU defense in stout showing
STARKVILLE — Erroll Thompson took off to his right. Moments later, the sophomore linebacker flattened a Texas A&M receiver to limit the Aggies’ first play from scrimmage to a minimal gain.
Thompson, just a few yards away from the Texas A&M sideline, popped up and flexed. He shouted in excited confidence, letting the Aggie offense know he would be a disruptive force in what was otherwise a serene Starkville night.
Mississippi State’s defense held Texas A&M to less than 300 total yards in a 28-13 win, marking the first time the Aggies failed to reach that number all season. Thompson was a major reason why — not just because of his seven tackles and fourth-down interception with less than three minutes left.
Thompson’s impact went beyond numbers and plays. The fire he showed after making his first tackle continued in waves throughout the night, and his teammates were the beneficiaries of it.
“That’s Erroll. That’s always Erroll. It’s great to start the game off how he did and everything,” safety Jaquarius Landrews said. “I get my energy off Erroll. I really do… It’s crazy.”
Landrews fed off Thompson’s energy to the tune of seven tackles of his own, two of which were sacks. Landrews and Thompson were major inhibitors to what the Aggies tried to do offensively.
They helped hold the SEC’s second leading rusher, Trayveon Williams, to 10 carries for 26 yards. Quarterback Kellen Mond had nine rushes and a net gain of two yards after spending most of the night under heavy pressure.
“We knew coming into this game that it was going to be a difficult task, but in order to win you have to get the run game going,” Williams said. “I definitely feel like that’s something we struggled with and something that we got out-executed in some moments.”
Aggie running back Corbin Jashuan had the most success against the Bulldogs, running for 33 yards on just three carries. But even Jashuan felt Thompson’s wrath on one of those runs in the second quarter.
Jashuan tried to turn up field on an outside handoff. He appeared to get by State’s defensive line and had intentions of not only getting past the sticks but getting deep into MSU territory.
Thompson had other plans. He came from Jashuan’s left and stuck him into the grass so hard that Thompson himself was shaken up for a brief moment. He returned a few plays later to cause more havoc the rest of the night, of course.
Thompson said his father, Erroll Sr., taught him how to hit at a younger age than he probably should’ve, but he said going through those drills with his dad were necessary.
“Bringing that nasty attitude and the will to hit has helped me be the player I am,” Thompson said.
Last month, defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said Thompson probably doesn’t get the recognition he deserves for what he means to the Mississippi State defense — a unit that ranks sixth in the nation in total defense.
Last night, head coach Joe Moorhead gave Thompson some deserved attention. He said Thompson plays with “controlled aggression” and praised him for being the player who gets the coverage and pressures aligned.
“He’s very cerebral, kind of a quarterback of the defense, so to speak,” Moorhead said. “When you match intelligence, talent and execution, that’s usually the result. Very, very proud of him.”