Thompson Commits

[Hunchback Johnny]

Recap of the 1987, #1 vs #2 NU-OU game.
1987 Oklahoma at Nebraska Game Recap - SoonerStats - Historical scores, records, and stats for Oklahoma Sooners football, basketball, baseball, and softball

I was at the game. One of the most humiliating episodes in Husker history (a different kind of humiliation, when it's all on the line).

Read the article, some of the streaks and stats by both teams are unfathomable. Oklahoma, who had won 29 of their last 30 games, were allowing an incredible 7 points per game while also leading the country in scoring. They had only given up 6 touchdowns all year.
Nebraska meanwhile had outscored its five previous opponents an astonishing 229-15 giving up only one td.
OU was ranked number one in the preseason and held that up until the week before the game. While Nebraska sat idle OU had to play Missouri and did not do it impressively. They had lost one of the best option qb's of all time in Jamelle Holieway to injury forcing them to start redshirt frosh Charles Thompson.
NU overtook the number one spot from OU. While NU was probably not going to win anyway it probably didn't help.

This was one of Osbornes best pre-90's teams but OU was better. Watching them struggle against Mizzou with a new qb a false confidence came upon the players and fans. I thought we were the better team.
The game was like being hit by surprise in the back of the head. OU was so physically dominant it was sickening. After a first quarter touchdown drive that ended with a touchdown run by super speedster Keith Jones NU took the lead and held it at half, 7-0. However, I remember thinking it was all pretty precarious. Yes we had the lead but OU had absolutely stuffed us on every other possession and their offense was being stopped by their own mistakes more than our defense. If they started clicking it wouldn't be good.
In the second half OU's defense continued to dominate, excessively. Drive after drive NU couldn't even muster a firstdown. Meanwhile OU was able to surface enough offensely to score 17 points. It's deceiving as their offense ran all over us but they tended to commit turnovers and miss field goals. They were both brilliant and sloppy. Our confidence stemming somewhat from the loss of Holieway was jolted by the athleticism of Charles Thompson. He showed no fear. OU's Ricky Dixon played what I thought at the time the most dominant performance I'd ever seem by a defensive back. If it's possible for a DB to dominate a game that was the time. He went on to make All-American and was awarded as the best defensive back in college football. He had a gaudy nine interceptions on the season (with 232 yards in return yardage, yikes!). He had two picks in this game but several athletic passes broken up. It seemed no matter what, when Steve Taylor threw the ball Dixon would race toward it like The Flash and steal it or dive at it to knock it down.
The scoreboard didn't tell of the dominance.

OU was Osbornes Achilles Heal. He had only beaten them four times in his career to that point. (1973-1987) however that game also marked an end to OU's dominance. The next year Osborne would finish his time with Switzer with another defensive dominated game in Norman. Very late in the game Charles Thompson's last play at Oklahoma ended when Husker DT Kent Wells ferociously tackled him leaving Thompson with a broken leg. The Husker won 7-3. In fact Osborne would go on to win 9 of his last 10 games against Oklahoma. The only loss in 1990, what I consider to he Osborne's 'worst' team. BTW, early in that 1990 game OU shoved our starting qb into a bench way out of bounds. It gave him some serious lacerations. I don't think I've ever seen a player as upset as he was as they drove him off the field. The QB? Mickey Joseph.
OU meanwhile was about to go a very different direction. Scandals almost too numerous to mention started hitting the program. We always knew the program was dirty but once the lid came off things got very ugly. Thompson was caught dealing cocaine which led to the infamous Sports Illustrated cover. OU was given a three year probation by the NCAA (when probation was a thing). They were banned from TV appearances along with bowl games. OU's transgressions were blatant and sloppy. Giving envelopes of cash to recruits and paying for benefits. The trail wasn't hard to follow as there was no plausible deniability. Switzer wrote checks for players benefits OUT OF HIS OWN ACCOUNT! Then he was caught lying about it. Yep, for those of you in diapers at the time Switzer was an sob. I just know there has been this latter day bs about how we respected each other and loved Switzer. Well if that was the case I sure didn't catch on to it. We hated Oklahoma and for good reason.
Aside from the egregious NCAA violations there were sexual assaults and all manner of illegal behavior coming from the players. I actually think Switzer might have made it through the NCAA stuff, heck it was always a part of their program, their DNA, but the violent and baudy behavior was too much. OU had no choice but to fire their 3 time national champion head coach.


Charles Thompson was the poster child for that era. Having (and cheering) his son play for NU is admittedly a little weird but I can get over it pretty quickly if things go well. BTW I believe in forgiveness and redemption. Charles come cheer your son on.

I remember that era vividly. Great write up mrjfb. My how the turn tables have turned.

 

[valiantsailor]

At this point Doc, I just want our Qb(s) to be able to think on their feet. That alone should bring their athletic skills to bare.

Personally I want to see them go through progresssions or hand off the ball

 

[SUHnami]

If Thompson turns out to be a more accurate passer than AM2, I'll be okay with the fact he's not as strong of runner.

Honestly. All I care about with Thompson that in close games, he has nerves of steel and doesn't panic and we lose those close games. If he can win those games, he can be less acurrat and not as good a runner as AM2 for all I care.

 

[GIJoeRed]

Personally I want to see them go through progresssions or hand off the ball

I guess I'm throwing progression reads into the thinking on their feet as well. Because zoning in on 1 target will get you burned at some point.

 

[MRJFB]

I understand he's not a runner, at least Texas didn't use him like that but I would assume he has the genetics. I saw some highlights and I wouldn't say he had his father's wheels but is fast enough to do some damage if need be. This will HAVE to be a turnaround for Frost as he had become so dependent on AM's running ability it looked to suppress the development of the rest of the offense. I was glad to see in a video posted on here that he does make processions pretty quickly. One thing I don't know about is his eyes in the pocket and scrambling ability. Anyone know how he has performed?

 

[innmc]

 

[Pavlov's Dog]

I like how he keeps looking downfield when he scrambles. Way too many sideline passes for my taste.

 

[innmc]

looks like he is familiar with running for his life. If anything, he'll overthrow a guy and not underthrow. He's good.

 

[Jimbosc]

I understand he's not a runner, at least Texas didn't use him like that but I would assume he has the genetics. I saw some highlights and I wouldn't say he had his father's wheels but is fast enough to do some damage if need be. This will HAVE to be a turnaround for Frost as he had become so dependent on AM's running ability it looked to suppress the development of the rest of the offense. I was glad to see in a video posted on here that he does make processions pretty quickly. One thing I don't know about is his eyes in the pocket and scrambling ability. Anyone know how he has performed?

I wonder if Frost learned what he knows about offense from Solich instead of Osborne (at least what he retained......) Point being - Solich was guilty of QB run centric offense as HC....to a fault.

 

[Doc Fumble]

looks like he is familiar with running for his life.

AH, good to know, innmc. That's encouraging.

 

[MRJFB]

I wonder if Frost learned what he knows about offense from Solich instead of Osborne (at least what he retained......) Point being - Solich was guilty of QB run centric offense as HC....to a fault.

Is it me or has Nebraska led the universe in this? Solich did it with Crouch and Lord. I understand the temptation but my observation is that it kept your offense at a grade school level. Yes you have a lot of yardage out of qb's but the rest of offense is stunted. And this is something I remember about Crouch, he looked smooth throwing in pre-conference and after a season of getting pounded in the shoulders really struggled in the latter parts of the year to throw. I mean, we ran AM to death and he couldn't finish the year.
Frost just picked up where Solich left off. I really hope it's a thing of the past. I hope the best for our option qb but we just can't continue to have a qb run centric offense.

 

[SUHnami]

When will we hear the segment/podcast or read the column/blog, "Sipple on Whipple" ?

or Whipple on Sipple. LOL

 

[Uenth]

Is it me or has Nebraska led the universe in this? Solich did it with Crouch and Lord. I understand the temptation but my observation is that it kept your offense at a grade school level. Yes you have a lot of yardage out of qb's but the rest of offense is stunted. And this is something I remember about Crouch, he looked smooth throwing in pre-conference and after a season of getting pounded in the shoulders really struggled in the latter parts of the year to throw. I mean, we ran AM to death and he couldn't finish the year.
Frost just picked up where Solich left off. I really hope it's a thing of the past. I hope the best for our option qb but we just can't continue to have a qb run centric offense.

Yeah, I've said it before. Solich would have been fired much earlier if he hadn't had Crouch to fall back on. Crouch absolutely made plays happen and not every QB can do that. I'd love for Frost to get out of the mindset and remember that there are 10 other players on the field.

 

[Deighved]

Is it me or has Nebraska led the universe in this? Solich did it with Crouch and Lord. I understand the temptation but my observation is that it kept your offense at a grade school level. Yes you have a lot of yardage out of qb's but the rest of offense is stunted. And this is something I remember about Crouch, he looked smooth throwing in pre-conference and after a season of getting pounded in the shoulders really struggled in the latter parts of the year to throw. I mean, we ran AM to death and he couldn't finish the year.
Frost just picked up where Solich left off. I really hope it's a thing of the past. I hope the best for our option qb but we just can't continue to have a qb run centric offense.

Does the QB-centric running cause the stunted offense, or does the stunted offense force the QB-centric run production?

Maybe a little of both?

 

[Pavlov's Dog]

Does the QB-centric running cause the stunted offense, or does the stunted offense force the QB-centric run production?

Maybe a little of both?

The Oline's play decided every game plan.

 

[Deighved]

The Oline's play decided every game plan.

True. Poor OL play will give you a "stunted offense" no matter who is holding the ball. That said, I think the Solich offense went to a QB dominated scheme well before the OL play deteriorated.

 

[redfred]

I like how he keeps looking downfield when he scrambles. Way too many sideline passes for my taste.

I not sure where the love affair with sideline passes came from, but it's prevalent everywhere. A quick study of the CCG shows it's not just us. I assume it's the passing play caller's way to spread the defense. It looks to me as if the only way it works is if you have three things......1) a quarterback that delivers on time and on target, 2) a receiver that is able to make at least one tackler miss, and 3) a lead blocker that can.....well....block.

I'm more fond of screens....bubble and otherwise. The truth is we didn't have a quarterback who was very good at them. Hope that changes.

 

[Doc Fumble]

I just know there has been this latter day bs about how we respected each other and loved Switzer. Well if that was the case I sure didn't catch on to it.

I, for one, have mellowed over the years on Switzer. It doesn't change all the illegal and unsportsmanlike crap he and his program did over the years (including stealing our signs during one of our match-ups), but ol' Barry was a star recruiter for a darn good reason -- he has a way of putting on the charm. I'll always remember the time he appeared, unannounced and unexpected, on Bob Devaney's live Friday night prediction show.

We hated Oklahoma and for good reason.

That's an understatement.

Screw Michigan-Ohio State, this was the era where NU-OU was The Rivalry in CFB. Trust me and Mrjfb, back then, NO fan base could have ever HATED another opponent any more than Nebraska fans hated OU.

Charles Thompson was the poster child for that era. Having (and cheering) his son play for NU is admittedly a little weird but I can get over it pretty quickly if things go well. BTW I believe in forgiveness and redemption. Charles come cheer your son on.

Well said, Mrjfb!

The funny thing about it all is that I recall watching OU and Texas play and thinking how weird it was that Thompson was playing FOR Texas AGAINST OU. Yep, it just got WEIRDER.