Oklahoma football: OU adds transfer QB Casey Thompson to 2024 roster

Many people thought Casey Thompson would take a legacy path and commit to the Oklahoma football program as a four-star QB prospect out of high school in nearby Newcastle.

Instead, Thompson took a complete about turn and committed to the Texas Longhorns in the 2018 recruiting cycle. Six years and three teams later, the Sooner legacy has taken the long, winding road back home. On Thursday, he committed to OU as a transfer, adding a fourth school to his collegiate resume.

Thompson becomes the third member of the family to play at Oklahoma. His father is Charles Thompson, who was the Sooners' starting quarterback in 1987-88 in the Wishbone offense under head coach Barry Switzer. Casey's brother, Kendal, also played quarterback at OU from 2011-13. Casey is expected to back up starter Jackson Arnold in the 2024 season

Casey set an Oklahoma state high school record with 12,840 yards of total offense and 154 touchdowns. He redshirted his first season at Texas playing behind Sam Ehlinger. He played eight games combined in 2019 and 2020 and had a breakout performance in the 2020 Alamo Bowl, After Ehlinger was injured and unable to play in the second half, Thompson came on and threw for 170 yards and four touchdowns helping Texas finish off a 55-23 victory over Colorado.

Thompson started all 12 games for Texas and new head coach Steve Sarkisian in 2021. He passed for 2,113 yards that season with 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He elected to transfer after the 2021 season and committed to Nebraska. In a single season at Nebraska, Thompson passed for a career-high 2,407 and 17 touchdowns in 10 games.

Following the 2022 season, Thompson entered the transfer portal again, winding up at Florida Atlantic for 2023. He played only three games for FAU and his former Texas head coach Tom Herman after tearing his ACL. The native Oklahoman was granted a medical waiver by the NCAA, giving him a seventh college season.

Oklahoma has played against Thompson twice as an opposing quarterback. The first time was in the 2021 Red River rivalry game against Texas. The Sooners made a dramatic second-half comeback in that game with Caleb Williams at quarterback and won 55-48. Thompson threw for 388 yards and five touchdowns in a losing effort.

The second encounter was in 2022 at Nebraska. Thompson was the starting quarterback for the Huskers but was held to just 129 yards on 14 of 20 passing and one touchdown. Oklahoma went on to win the game big by a 49-14 count.

Thompson is the third player in recent college history to begin his college career at Texas and transfer to Oklahoma. Offensive lineman Paul Moriarty did so in 1991 and wide receiver Brenen Thompson (no relation) made the journey last spring.