2024 Oklahoma Sooners Quarterbacks Preview - Casey Thompson

It took him a long time, but Casey is finally home. Casey Thompson currently sits as the Sooners' backup quarterback, and they couldn't be happier to have him. Few programs across college football have the luxury of having a backup quarterback with Casey's ultra-rare mix of athleticism, arm talent, and, most importantly, experience.

Casey has been playing college football since 2018 when he was a redshirt at Texas. He signed with the Horns after completing one of the greatest careers any Oklahoma high school quarterback has ever had. During his high school career, he passed for 12,840 yards and 154 total touchdowns while rushing for 3,011 yards on 511 carries.

From 2018 through 2021, Casey was a Longhorn. While at Texas, Casey played 20 games, including the Red River Rivalry. He totaled 185 completions (63.8%) for 2,422 yards and 30 passing touchdowns. He also ran for 210 yards and 5 rushing touchdowns.

Following the 2021 season, Casey Thompson transferred to the University of Nebraska to continue his college career. While in Lincoln, he played in 10 games where he threw for 2,407 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Following his year in Lincoln, Casey transferred again, this time to Florida Atlantic. While he was an Owl, Casey only played in three games due to an injury. During those three games, he threw for 509 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Oklahoma's current backup quarterback (Thompson) has 408 career completions, 5,338 passing yards, and 52 touchdowns. His career completion percentage is 63.5%, and his passing efficiency rating is 152.4. However, his best attribute for the Sooners to capitalize on is his 33 games of experience.

The Oklahoma football program doesn't need Thompson to compete for a starting spot or put pressure on Jackson Arnold. Actually, just the opposite. Thompson will be relied on to be a leader for both Arnold and freshman sensation Michael Hawkins Jr. Thompson will be depended on to help Arnold during difficult situations and show Michael Hawkins Jr. how to prepare like a college quarterback. If/when Thompson gets on the field, he will serve as a reliable backup for the Sooners offense and manage the offense effectively.

Thompson being on the Sooners depth chart is a massively underrated component of this program. Nobody thinks about the backup quarterback until the starter is hurt. However, it is essential to have a reliable backup, and Thompson's leadership and experience are icing on the cake. You see it in the pros all the time: the career backup with tons of experience helps the young starter progress faster. Rarely do you see experienced backups in college because of the transfer portal's power. However, the Sooners struck gold, getting Casey Thompson.

We're glad he's home. It took him a while to get here, but it will pay off more than anyone knows, even if it doesn't show up in any stat book.