2008 Woodie Awards
Quarterback changes color of feathers with flight from Gamecocks to Skyhawk territory
Zane Gresback
Issue date: 1/23/07 Section: Sports
One of Steve Spurrier's first recruited quarterbacks to South Carolina will finish his career back in his home state and at UTM.
Maryville native Cade Thompson spent the last two seasons under the pass friendly tutelage of "the old ball coach" at South Carolina and will bring a gun slinger mentality to Jason Simpson's offense.
"The coach there (at UTM) likes to throw it. I'm hoping it gives me a chance to throw the ball around a little bit," Thompson told Maryville's The Daily Times.
UTM will go into the 2007 season as the defending OVC champions and will try to have their third consecutive winning season. The winning trend is one of the reasons Thompson decided to transfer.
Thompson has three years of eligibility left and will be able to play immediately. NCAA rules permit Thompson to retain full eligibility because he is transferring to play for a Division I-AA school.
When asked by Knoxville's News Sentinel about playing right away, Thompson said, "There's no guarantees, but that's what I'd like to do."
The 6-foot-2, 183-pound Thompson put up astounding numbers in high school. He was 43-1 as a starter for Maryville High and led the Rebels to a pair of 4A state crowns.
Throwing for 2,475 yards, 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions his senior year won him the 2004 Class 4A Mr. Football and made him quite the coveted college recruit.
Thompson first committed to North Carolina but ended up as a member of Spurrier's first recruiting class at South Carolina.
Spurrier returned to college coaching after a disappointing and much criticized stint as head coach of the Washington Redskins.
After redshirting his first year, Thompson saw action in only two games this season and completed just one pass for four yards. He sat and watched as veteran Blake Mitchell and do-it-all athlete Syvelle Newton split time under center.
Thompson gave the News Sentinel many reasons why he is happy to join the Skyhawks.
"I like the campus; it's a pretty good-sized school and I like the coaches a lot," Thompson said. "There's a bunch of good things going on there right now."
Maryville native Cade Thompson spent the last two seasons under the pass friendly tutelage of "the old ball coach" at South Carolina and will bring a gun slinger mentality to Jason Simpson's offense.
"The coach there (at UTM) likes to throw it. I'm hoping it gives me a chance to throw the ball around a little bit," Thompson told Maryville's The Daily Times.
UTM will go into the 2007 season as the defending OVC champions and will try to have their third consecutive winning season. The winning trend is one of the reasons Thompson decided to transfer.
Thompson has three years of eligibility left and will be able to play immediately. NCAA rules permit Thompson to retain full eligibility because he is transferring to play for a Division I-AA school.
When asked by Knoxville's News Sentinel about playing right away, Thompson said, "There's no guarantees, but that's what I'd like to do."
The 6-foot-2, 183-pound Thompson put up astounding numbers in high school. He was 43-1 as a starter for Maryville High and led the Rebels to a pair of 4A state crowns.
Throwing for 2,475 yards, 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions his senior year won him the 2004 Class 4A Mr. Football and made him quite the coveted college recruit.
Thompson first committed to North Carolina but ended up as a member of Spurrier's first recruiting class at South Carolina.
Spurrier returned to college coaching after a disappointing and much criticized stint as head coach of the Washington Redskins.
After redshirting his first year, Thompson saw action in only two games this season and completed just one pass for four yards. He sat and watched as veteran Blake Mitchell and do-it-all athlete Syvelle Newton split time under center.
Thompson gave the News Sentinel many reasons why he is happy to join the Skyhawks.
"I like the campus; it's a pretty good-sized school and I like the coaches a lot," Thompson said. "There's a bunch of good things going on there right now."
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