Wisconsin football: Defensive end James Thompson refuses to let an injury slow him

MADISON – Although Wisconsin doesn’t resume spring practice until Tuesday, several members of the defensive line met with reporters Monday morning.

Selected comments follow.

James Thompson determined not to miss any practice time

UW’s most experienced defensive end is James Thompson, who has started 18 games and played in 40 over the last four seasons.

Thompson suffered a strained left calf near the end of practice April 6 but hasn’t missed any time despite being limited by the injury.

“The guys need me,” said Thompson, who has been wearing a black sleeve on the injured calf. “This is the mental toughness that Coach Fick talks about all the time.”

Thompson has another source of motivation. He is trying to establish a solid relationship with line coach E.J. Whitlow, his third position coach in the last three years.

“Spring ball is a time for me to resharpen my tools,” Thompson said. “I’ve got a new D-line coach so I want to know what I can do and how I can progress. Because different coaches have different philosophies and different techniques.

“I feel like if I miss a practice, that is another person getting better (than) me. Plus, it is a day I missed out getting myself better.

“Even though I’m not 100%, if I can get some work done I’m going to get some work done. Everybody’s got some type of soreness. If I can move, I can still practice.”

Ben Barten gives more live hitting this spring a thumbs up

Head coach Luke Fickell noted earlier this spring that a lack of full-contact work/live tackling last spring and in camp hurt the players’ ability to tackle early in the season.

As a result, there has been more tackling this spring. The quarterbacks remain off-limits, but the running backs have been hit as they would in a game.

Defensive end Ben Barten, who has been on the No. 1 unit when UW deploys three linemen, likes the change.

“This year he has put a lot more emphasis on thudding up the running backs,” Barten said, noting Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker have taken plenty of shots. “We can put a hit on them, as long as we’re being smart about what we’re doing.

“(Before) it was: Be safe around the running backs. Now it is: Everybody has got to learn it is time to get hit.”

James Thompson recalls the time he crossed a bright line during his freshman season

While discussing the increased hitting this spring, Thompson was asked about a hit he delivered during a practice in 2020.

“That still haunts me, five years down the road,” he said, laughing. “Oh my, God. Freshman year horror story.

“The coaches said we’re not live for this period. And I forgot.”

The victim in the two-person collision was reserve quarterback Danny Vanden Boom.

“I just smacked him,” Thompson said. “I was celebrating and everybody was quiet."

Then-defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield went ballistic.

Bewildered, Thompson asked Breckterfield: “What did I do?”

Thompson got a text the next morning requesting his presence in the office of head coach Paul Chryst.

“I thought it was over with for me,” Thompson said.

He met with Breckterfield and Chryst.

Breckterfield said: “You had a really good practice. But…do you like me?”

Thompson responded: "Yes."

Breckterfield responded: “Then don’t do (expletive) like that because I’m going to get fired.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin defensive end James Thompson refuses to be slowed by injury