Casey Thompson comes full circle, back home to OU football: 'In my heart I knew'

NORMAN — Casey Thompson got goosebumps, visible goosebumps against the sleeves of his crimson polo, as he spoke Wednesday inside Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

“I used to sit outside,” Thompson said, “and be like, ‘Man, I wonder what it’s like inside that facility.’”

Thompson was born and raised here. His dad, Charles, was a legendary Sooner quarterback. His brother, Kendal, also played quarterback at OU. But Casey? He was an outsider in his own backyard. He played three years at Texas and one at Nebraska — quarterbacking two of OU’s historic rivals.

Then came a short three-game stint last season at Florida Atlantic, where Thompson tore his ACL in a loss at Clemson.

Those three different roads, from Texas to Nebraska to Florida Atlantic, led Thompson back home. Hearing Thompson talk Wednesday, in his first media availability since transferring to OU, it was clear that suiting up for the Sooners was the only appropriate way to end his career. The only place that would tie all of the strings of his circuitous journey into a neat bow.

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That’s why, around the holidays, he gave OU coach Brent Venables a call. Thompson, who was in the transfer portal, told Venables he wanted to be a Sooner.

“I told him I just wanted to be back home,” Thompson said. “Allow me to be on the team.”

Thompson said he didn’t need any NIL guarantees or promises about his role.

“I grew up here, so no one has to sell me on the OU brand,” Thompson said. “No one has to sell me on the importance of Oklahoma football or what it means to this community and this fanbase.

“In my mind, in my heart I knew that I would like to be back here in Oklahoma if there was an opportunity.”

Later, it was new OU offensive coordinator Seth Littrell who called Thompson with the good news. The Sooners had a spot for him.

Thompson, who played against OU at both Texas and Nebraska, whose best performance was against OU in the 2021 Red River Rivalry, has logged 32 games in his career. He’s thrown for more than 5,000 yards with 52 career touchdowns.

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But at OU he’ll almost certainly be the backup to ballyhooed quarterback Jackson Arnold. Thompson made it clear that he wants to compete, but he’s realistic about his situation.

“I’m here to provide any help that I can,” he said. “There’s no guarantees … Everything will have to add up for me to hit a home run. I’m just trying to control what I can control. That’s my mindset, my work ethic, my health, my rehab. As far as how the dominos will stack up in the quarterback room, I think Jackson Arnold is a great player. He’s a very talented kid. He’s physically gifted and he’s a smart guy, hard worker.”

Thompson’s No. 1 goal is getting healthy. Instead of participating in spring practice, Thompson’s focus is rehabbing his knee.

“I’ve been running straight ahead with my knee brace and I got cleared a few weeks ago by a doctor to push off a little bit and throw,” he said.

Thompson doesn’t need extra motivation in the rehab process. He’s had actual dreams about playing for the Sooners. Those keep him going.

When he’s driving past the stadium on Lindsey Street, Thompson has to remind himself that this is real.

“It feels like I’m living in a movie,” he said.

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After wearing burnt orange and Nebraska red, one of the things Thompson worried about was not being able to join his dad and brother in knowing what it felt like to sport crimson and cream on Owen Field.

His dad’s house is decked out in OU decor.

“I see Barry Switzer in the dining room, I see Bob Stoops in the living room, I see my dad and Jamelle Holieway in his trophy room.”

Casey thinks about framing his own Sooner jersey one day.

“To grow up in Oklahoma and then come back and finish in Oklahoma, I think it’s a full-circle deal,” he said. “For my family and I, I’ll be able to someday tell my kids the stories.

“It’s crazy, because without going to one place, that would’ve never led me to the next place. Everything happens for a reason. Like I said, you just can never prepare for moments like this, but it’ll be very meaningful for me to have this ‘Sooners’ jersey on the front and ‘Thompson’ on the back.”

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football: Casey Thompson comes full circle, home to Sooners