Walk-on to Pac-12 starter
Former Cibola star Abe Thompson is making the most of his opportunity at Arizona State
Not too long ago, a reporter could approach Abe Thompson anytime and anyplace they wanted — say, during a workout at Fourth Avenue Gym in Yuma — if they had a quick question for the football star.
Now, the process of getting an interview with the 2015 Cibola High School graduate is a bit more complicated. It requires going through Arizona State University’s media relations department, which can setup a day and time for Thompson to call from a number that is not his own. Thompson, suddenly a starting linebacker in the Pac12 on a full-ride scholarship, has made it big-time. “It’s been pretty crazy,” Thompson said during a postpractice phone interview Wednesday. “From walking-on (at ASU in August) to being in this position, I didn’t think it’d happen so quick. But the coaches got me ready for it, so it’s not like it was too much of a shock on the field.
“It’s been much more of a shock off the field, with the newspapers and the interviews; that wasn’t really something I was ready for, to be honest.”
Some locals may just be realizing that the 6-foot-2, 230-pound junior is even on Arizona State’s roster, due to the manner in which he joined the team with no promise of playing time right before fall camp.
But following ASU’s 37-35 victory over then-No. 24 Oregon this past Saturday — a game in which Thompson made his first career start, was mentioned multiple times during the Pac-12 Networks broadcast and recovered a fumble — the secret is out.
For the city of Yuma, Thompson’s rise to prominence is big news.
Prior to Saturday, the last time a local football product had started for a Pac-12 (or any “Power Five”) team was former Yuma High quarterback Jason Maas at the University of Oregon in the mid-1990s.
“I think it’s huge for Yuma in general, having somebody playing at the Division I level and actually starting,” said Cibola’s Lucky Arvizo, Thompson’s high school coach from 2011-14. “I’m sure there’s a lot of fans in Yuma that weren’t necessarily rooting for ASU that are now that Abe is out there.”
As noted, Thompson’s come-up must come as a bit of a surprise to those who haven’t been paying attention.
His story starts two-and-a-half years ago, when — after a stellar career at Cibola during which he starred mostly at running back — he signed with Northern Arizona University. His first fall in Flagstaff, he played some at fullback and on special teams, but the following spring his partial scholarship was revoked after he got caught up in some off-the-field trouble.
Thompson left NAU and enrolled at Arizona Western for the 2016 season, during which he switched sides of the ball and emerged as a starting linebacker for one of the top junior-college defenses in the country.
Most, including AWC coach Tom Minnick, figured Thompson performed well enough to warrant next-level looks and a Division I scholarship. But few schools came calling, and as of mid-summer he only had received several lowerlevel offers. The best Football Bowl Subdivision opportunity came via short summer meeting with ASU defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, who offered Thompson a chance to join the Sun Devils as a preferred walk-on.
Throughout this time, Thompson kept his recruitment close to the vest.
“I had a few schools that offered, and then they pulled (the offers), so I wasn’t too public about it,” Thompson said. “Because once you get (an offer), there’s the potential for them to pull it a few weeks later.”