Ex-Texas QB Casey Thompson embraces fresh start at Nebraska
LINCOLN, NEB. » Even though Casey Thompson hasn’t been named Nebraska’s starting quarterback officially, all indications through spring practices point to him taking the first snaps when the Cornhuskers open the season.
“I’m glad I’m on the other end of sitting and waiting my turn,” he said.
Thompson has a clean slate after transferring from Texas, where he started 10 games last year but was unlikely to get the job in 2022. He is now in an environment where statewide passion for the program runs deep but expectations are tempered following five straight losing seasons.
He’ll be playing for his third head coach in Scott Frost and fourth offensive coordinator in Mark Whipple, who was hired in December and is adding to Frost’s spread system elements of the pro-style game he used with 2021 Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett at Pittsburgh.
Thompson said the system is aggressive, stretches the field vertically and horizontally and operates at a fast tempo.
“There are a lot of options, so I really like it,” he said. “It’s been fun so far and it’s been easy to grasp.”
Thompson waited three seasons for his chance at Texas and then, after entrenched QB Sam Ehlinger left, he lost a lengthy competition against Hudson Card last year.
Thompson replaced Card in the middle of an ugly Week 2 loss at Arkansas. He shared playing time with Card in some games and played with an thumb injury on his right (throwing) hand, and his hold on the job was a week-to-week proposition.
After a 5-7 season that included a six-game losing streak, Texas’ longest in 65 years, coach Steve Sarkisian said he would throw open the quarterback competition for 2022. Thompson decided to leave when five-star recruit Quinn Ewers announced he would transfer to Texas from Ohio State and Sarkisian signed highly rated freshman Maalik Murphy.
Adrian Martinez’s transfer to Kansas State created a job opening at Nebraska, and Thompson picked the Huskers after also considering Auburn and Oklahoma.