What Do You Think of Derek Thompson Now?: A Remembrance

[MeanGreenZen]

Derek Thompson exploded onto the Mean Green football scene like a cannonball fired by the Talons.

With the Mean Green trailing 30-20 at Arkansas State with two minutes left in the 2009 season finale, backup quarterback Nathan Tune separated his shoulder and could not re-enter the game. Starter Riley Dodge had been lost earlier in the contest to a broken arm and the third-string quarterback hadn’t even made the trip because of the flu.

This wasn’t a bowl game. No championship was on the line. It wasn’t against a hated rival. It wasn’t even a chance to get the team to a winning record. But North Texas was staring at a 10-loss season and head coach Todd Dodge needed a win to build job security and carry positive momentum into the offseason.

The Mean Green had a chance to pull off a victory and Thompson was sitting there like an unopened present on Christmas morning. Thompson was being redshirted and would lose an entire season of eligibility if he played those final seconds. Knowing the full consequence of his actions, Thompson tore off that redshirt like it was Hulk Hogan’s tank top and charged into the huddle.

The next possession was absolute magic. Thompson completed all three passes he attempted while driving the offense down the field and capped it off with a 19-yard touchdown pass. North Texas never got the ball back and lost the game. But the Derek Thompson era of North Texas football was underway.

Since the glory days of Scott Hall, the Mean Green quarterback position had been a black hole of tragedy (Andrew Smith), ineffectiveness (Daniel Meager), quitters (Giovanni Vizza) and injury (Riley Dodge).

North Texas was the Anti-USC. Not Quarterback U but Quarterback Who. The next Scott Hall was always coming but never arrived.

In the early months after Thompson’s debut, an angry posse was hanging a rope over a tree and waiting outside the office of Todd Dodge. This would be the part of the hero’s journey where the helper appears. In one story he is Yoda. In another he is Gandolf. In this story he is Mike Canales, the new offensive coordinator from South Florida

Canales had transformed Matt Grothe, a lightly-recruited quarterback, into the Big East’s all-time leader in total offense and had tutored Philip Rivers into a 1^st round pick.

Around this time it was announced that Riley Dodge, a high school legend who had chosen to play for North Texas over the most powerful institution in college football, was being moved from quarterback to receiver because of injuries.

But nobody was freaking out because we knew we had Derek Thompson. For that one drive he had been on the field, he had been perfect and the Mean Green had been invincible.

Mean Green fans started fantasizing about what this quarterback coach/Jedi Master could do with Thompson. We only had one drive of evidence, but we believed. In the Spring game, Thompson completed his first seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown and the anticipation grew like the commercialization of Fry Street.

“Derek Thompson was an all-district point guard in high school.”

“Derek Thompson’s online bio says he runs a 4.7 40.”

“Derek Thompson grew up in Glen Rose next to the nuclear power plant and has some kind of X-Men mutation in his right arm.”

But the 2010 season fell apart quicker than a Tony Benford game plan. Thompson never really separated himself from Tune, a walk-on from a small high school, and only played in three games before breaking his leg and being granted a medical redshirt. North Texas finished 3-9.

By the start of 2011, Thompson was the toy you opened on Christmas morning and never really wanted to play with again. Todd Dodge was fired and replaced with Dan McCarney. The ex-Iowa State coach retained Canales on his staff but brought in his own recruits to battle for the quarterback position, junior college transfer Brent Osborn and a high schooler from Iowa, Andrew McNulty.

After a heated three-man battle for the spot, McCarney, in a surprise move, named Thompson the starter one day before the season opener. Thompson’s job was just to hand the ball to future Dallas Cowboy Lance Dunbar, but he had moments that season that made you believe he was a guy UNT could build an offense around.

Three touchdown passes in a win over Indiana. Two touchdowns, 331 yards passing and a UNT single-game record for completion percentage in a win over Troy. Three touchdowns and 332 yards passing in a victory over Louisiana-Monroe.

Thompson finished his sophomore season with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions while the Mean Green closed out McCarney’s first year with wins in five of the final nine games.

There was finally stability at the quarterback position for the Mean Green. With Dunbar off to the NFL, 2012 was going to be the year Thompson really took off. Except he never really did.

McCarney had won at Iowa State with a mobile quarterback. And the Canales offense was supposed to be predicated on having a quarterback who was a threat to run. Thompson just wasn’t that type of quarterback. Instead of becoming Obi Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, Canales and Thompson seemed to have the chemistry of Queen Amidala and Anakin Skywalker. Natalie Portman and Hayden Christiansen were fine actors, there just wasn’t a spark when you put them together.

North Texas started the 2012 season with a 1-2 record then Thompson completed just 12 of 28 passes in a 14-7 conference-opening loss to Troy. He had three interceptions in a loss to Middle Tennessee. He tossed two interceptions as Western Kentucky came back from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Mean Green, 25-24, in the season finale.

Thompson finished his junior year with 2,629 yards passing with 14 touchdown and 14 interceptions as UNT went 4-8. It was the eighth straight season North Texas had a losing record.

Though he still had his senior season in front of him, the Thompson era seemed over. Kansas-transfer Brock Berglund, who the recruiting services had once rated higher than Johnny Manziel, would be eligible and it was assumed the starting job was his.

Then a funny thing happened. Spring practice rolled around and we kept hearing about Thompson. Where was Berglund? Limited by an injury. Supposedly. Summer practice got going and Berglund was quieter than Willis Library the night after final exams.

But a new challenger had emerged: Dajon Williams, a raw freshman who was tempting the coaching staff and exciting the fan base with the promise of his strong arm and quick feet.

Yet here comes Thompson on the season opening drive against Idaho. And he proceeded to have another Derek Thompson season. Sometimes he was great. Other times bad. Most of the time he was ok. Only this season, NORTH TEXAS WAS WINNING.

Now it is almost Christmas and we have certain rules at my family gatherings, which includes a weirdly disproportionate number of North Texas alums: Talk all you want about politics or religion. Everyone in my family both hates Obama and loves Jesus. And yes, I see the irony. But no talking about Derek Thompson. That is too controversial.

Even the Devil can find a Scripture to quote to support his argument. And there is plenty of Scripture to argue when discussing Thompson.

“Thompson’s completion percentage is tied for second-best in school history!”

“He killed our comebacks against Tulane and UTSA with game-ending picks!”

“He led us back from 18 points down against Ball State!”

“He’s tied for 10^th in the country in interceptions!”

“He’s leading us to our first bowl game in a decade!

“He’s never even been all-conference!”

“He’s never had an all-conference receiver either!”

“That proves my point!”

“I am going to capture you and hold you hostage in my sex dungeon!”

Well, maybe it doesn’t get quite that weird. Or maybe I am holding a family member who disagrees with me about Derek Thompson hostage in my sex dungeon?

You’re just going to have to wonder.

We are all wondering how the last game Derek Thompson ever quarterbacks for North Texas is going to go. He went from being “the unknown redshirt” to “the next big thing” to “the guy who still might be good” to “the guy who is definitely not good” to “the guy who can win games but we would like to upgrade” to “the guy with one more opportunity to define his legacy”.

January 1, 2014 vs. UNLV in the Heart of Dallas Bowl at the legendary Cotton Bowl. I hope Thompson finds as much success when he runs on the field for the final time as he did the first time.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Harry

[H-towngreen]

My final opnion of DT will all come down to this game. Lead us to victory. DT should be in the HOF. Bury us in defeat and he's no better than Tune.

[UNT90]

DT got the absolute most out of his abilities and was exceptional considering he played for a run first coach who often put his QB in 3rd and long situations (and calm down, that's not a knock on Mac, it just is what it is).

Sorry some still refuse to open their eyes to what you have done here, DT.

[Harry]

Great write up!

[meanrob]

I was down on him (the player, not the person) going into this year and like 90 said, I don't think he was always put in the best possible situations to succeed. Any QB would have a hard time mostly throwing when the other team knows you have to throw. Still, he has limitations as a QB.

I think they should have used the hurry-up more. You can run out of it and would have allowed DT to find some rhythm.

Edited December 21, 2013 by meanrob

[UNT90]

I was down on him (the player, not the person) going into this year and like 90 said, I don't think he was always put in the best possible situations to succeed. Any QB would have a hard time mostly throwing when the other team knows you have to throw. Still, he has limitations as a QB.

I think they should have used the hurry-up more. You can run out of it and would have allowed DT to find some rhythm.

Just about every time we went to the hurry up this year, DT was good. And I completely agree about finding a Rhythm.

But there is no way Coach Mac will ever run the hurry up as a primary offense. Not even close to the ground and pound he wants to play.

[Mean Green Eagle]

Enjoyable read. Thanks for posting.

[meanrob]

Just about every time we went to the hurry up this year, DT was good. And I completely agree about finding a Rhythm.

But there is no way Coach Mac will ever run the hurry up as a primary offense. Not even close to the ground and pound he wants to play.

Don't need to be our primary. But certainly could've used it as a change-up when the offense was struggling against Tulane and UTSA.

Didn't we use a lot of hurry up the second half of Ball State?

[FirefightnRick]

Has anyone surpassed the single game passing record our "ineffective" QB set against SMU?

Rick

[Green Crazy]

A giant, MEH.

[UNT 90 Grad]

Has anyone surpassed the single game passing record our "ineffective" QB set against SMU?

Rick

Stirring the pot a little, but how effective was setting that record in that game?

[Cooley]

It's amazing to me that this coaching staff still has not been able to recruit a better QB than Derek Thompson.

Thompson played to his abilities but with a little more options, this team could be 11-1. With Hit 6 as the goal, the coaching staff is ecstatic with the performance of DT and the team. But now player and coach are disappointed 40,000 Mean Green fans haven't bought tickets to the HOD. You can't recruit to Hit 6 and expect a 11-1 crowd.

[Green P1]

JAG

[the green rokemi]

JAG

I'll second that JAG.

Honestly, he's no Scott hall. And I'm not sure he's better than tune. That said if he's the Mvp of the bowl I'll reconsider

[GrandGreen]

Thompson had a very good year and career. I was thinking watching the NO Bowl game how either one of those teams would have performed if they had a QB as good as Thompson.

[FirefightnRick]

Here we go.....another "Derek Stole My Girlfriend" thread.

Rick

This post has been promoted to an article

[the green rokemi]

Thompson had a very good year and career. I was thinking watching the NO Bowl game how either one of those teams would have performed if they had a QB as good as Thompson.

He did throw a good TD pass for Tulane this year so maybe you're right

Edited December 22, 2013 by the green rokemi

[wardly]

I compare his career to Danny White's of Dallas Cowboy Fame.

[oldguystudent]

I compare his career to Danny White's of Dallas Cowboy Fame.

Needs more punting.

[eulessismore]

Stirring the pot a little, but how effective was setting that record in that game?

I don't think that quarterback was responsible for the snap from center that went maybe 10 feet over his head at a critical point late in that game, or the lack of much defense from our side.

[meangreener]

Triple meh. But good write-up. Except for Hayden Christiansen being a fine actor. He sucks worse than DT against Troy in 2012.

My favorite DT game ever. Neither team deserved to win.

[eulessismore]

I compare his career to Danny White's of Dallas Cowboy Fame.

Then, all the players wanted Gary Hogeboom. Later, one of the players was quoted saying, "If Hogeboom had more touch, he could get more interceptions".

[UNTcrazy727]

A career TD/INT ratio of 40/34 combined with a career adjusted QBR of 45.73 (50 is considered average) gets a very big "MEH" from me.

[Ben Gooding]

Humm.. He did what was asked of him. He made conservative choices with the football and still had a bad td/int ratio. When it is all said and done with either Greer or Williams will end their careers with more success. To give him credit he hung in there and pretty much had to fight for his position every year and went out a winner, kind of.

[Harry]

He represented UNT with respect. He was a good leader kept his nose clean. Made outstanding grades and graduated. Was at the helm when we turned things around in 2013-14. Was able to finish his career on a very high note. I think history will look fondly on DT.