I don't think I know more than the coaches, but (using CJM's own words) what is going on with Mark Thompson is a a bit perplexing.
Back in the spring, in one of our Insider Practice Reports we had a couple of people update us as to what went on at one of the closed scrimmages. The first one, who gave the report in the linked thread has a coaching background.
He said then that he thought JUCO signee Mark Thompson looked better catching the ball than he did running it:
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* It appears as though JUCO running back transfer Mark Thompson had a so-so day. One observer was impressed with him more in the passing game than as a runner. Thompson caught a short pass over the middle and took it for a 40 yard gain.
However, he was stopped dead in his tracks a couple of times running the ball. "I was kind of like, for a guy his size, he shouldn't come down that easy."
The observer was surprised because in his opinion, Thompson looked better in the open field than in the trenches. "For a guy his size, he runs very well. He is smooth. For a big guy though, he looks like Derrick Henry, he is huge, he plays smaller."
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That brings us to Jim McElwain's first media opportunity after the scrimmage.
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It wasn't just the receivers successfully catching the ball out of the backfield in the scrimmage. McElwain pointed to early enrollee running back Mark Thompson as a player who thrived in that department.
"I’d be remiss to say we caught the ball really well in the scrimmage, even our running backs out of the backfield," McElwain said. "I guess I knew this and didn’t really realize it with Mark Thompson, he started out as a wide receiver and outgrew the position. He’s got real natural hands and that was good to see."
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Now fast forward to this season - Mark Thompson's receiving stat line: 0 catches, for 0 yards and 0 touchdowns.
Our inside guy said Thompson looked better catching the ball than he did running it. McElwain backed it up during his first press conference post scrimmage and then added on that Thompson used to be a receiver.
However, he has zero catches this year - while really looking like a so-so running back.
He is big and has some speed for his size, but he isn't the most physical guy. Why not try to get him the ball out in space, away from big bodies and see what he can do?
Back in the spring, in one of our Insider Practice Reports we had a couple of people update us as to what went on at one of the closed scrimmages. The first one, who gave the report in the linked thread has a coaching background.
He said then that he thought JUCO signee Mark Thompson looked better catching the ball than he did running it:
------
* It appears as though JUCO running back transfer Mark Thompson had a so-so day. One observer was impressed with him more in the passing game than as a runner. Thompson caught a short pass over the middle and took it for a 40 yard gain.
However, he was stopped dead in his tracks a couple of times running the ball. "I was kind of like, for a guy his size, he shouldn't come down that easy."
The observer was surprised because in his opinion, Thompson looked better in the open field than in the trenches. "For a guy his size, he runs very well. He is smooth. For a big guy though, he looks like Derrick Henry, he is huge, he plays smaller."
--------
That brings us to Jim McElwain's first media opportunity after the scrimmage.
-------
It wasn't just the receivers successfully catching the ball out of the backfield in the scrimmage. McElwain pointed to early enrollee running back Mark Thompson as a player who thrived in that department.
"I’d be remiss to say we caught the ball really well in the scrimmage, even our running backs out of the backfield," McElwain said. "I guess I knew this and didn’t really realize it with Mark Thompson, he started out as a wide receiver and outgrew the position. He’s got real natural hands and that was good to see."
-------
Now fast forward to this season - Mark Thompson's receiving stat line: 0 catches, for 0 yards and 0 touchdowns.
Our inside guy said Thompson looked better catching the ball than he did running it. McElwain backed it up during his first press conference post scrimmage and then added on that Thompson used to be a receiver.
However, he has zero catches this year - while really looking like a so-so running back.
He is big and has some speed for his size, but he isn't the most physical guy. Why not try to get him the ball out in space, away from big bodies and see what he can do?
