Thoughts on Thompson as HBack/TE

[Concrete Helmet]

What the hell, it's off season so why not discuss.
Pro's. He has excellent size and strength and did turn a few screen passes into nice plays for us last year despite having some struggles carrying from the backfield. He's also far and away our best blocking RB on the roster.
Cons. He has only one year left and would have to learn a new position.

It just seems to me that our offense at times is severely lacking at the TE position. This is not a slight at Lewis/Goolsby types as they can be versatile weapons given certain coverages however their lack of blocking limits us getting equal numbers/leverage in short yardage situations. Also they really never have been reliable short yardage options as receivers due to their inability to fight their way through the los and into open space the way a conventional TE is supposed to on short yardage off of play action including goal line situations.

It just seems a waste of athletic ability to leave this guy #3 or #4 at RB instead of blending him in and out of the backfield for a different look , 1 back he could motion into the backfield as a blocking back or swing as a safety valve . No back looks he could motion into the backfield to pick up blitzes which almost always come off that look. I'm not sure if any of is even in our offensive braintrust vocabulary but I'm tired of not having more production from this position and without a true everydown bruiser of a TE I don't see anything different on the horizon.

 

[GatorJ]

What the hell, it's off season so why not discuss.
Pro's. He has excellent size and strength and did turn a few screen passes into nice plays for us last year despite having some struggles carrying from the backfield. He's also far and away our best blocking RB on the roster.
Cons. He has only one year left and would have to learn a new position.

It just seems to me that our offense at times is severely lacking at the TE position. This is not a slight at Lewis/Goolsby types as they can be versatile weapons given certain coverages however their lack of blocking limits us getting equal numbers/leverage in short yardage situations. Also they really never have been reliable short yardage options as receivers due to their inability to fight their way through the los and into open space the way a conventional TE is supposed to on short yardage off of play action including goal line situations.

It just seems a waste of athletic ability to leave this guy #3 or #4 at RB instead of blending him in and out of the backfield for a different look , 1 back he could motion into the backfield as a blocking back or swing as a safety valve . No back looks he could motion into the backfield to pick up blitzes which almost always come off that look. I'm not sure if any of is even in our offensive braintrust vocabulary but I'm tired of not having more production from this position and without a true everydown bruiser of a TE I don't see anything different on the horizon.

I think he'd be a better fit at FB. Have him as a lead blocker and running it in on short yardage situations. He only got like 100 receiving yards last year. And I'm not certain, but I think that included the 85 yard bowl TD reception. So I'm not very sure about his hands.

But his history says that he can run and score. He's a big dude. But not SEC speed.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

I think he'd be a better fit at FB. Have him as a lead blocker and running it in on short yardage situations. He only got like 100 receiving yards last year. And I'm not certain, but I think that included the 85 yard bowl TD reception. So I'm not very sure about his hands.

But his history says that he can run and score. He's a big dude. But not SEC speed.

I thought I saw somewhere when he ran neck and neck with Scarlett in the 40? His build is also similar to that of The Killer...

 

[ATXGator]

I think he'd be a better fit at FB. Have him as a lead blocker and running it in on short yardage situations. He only got like 100 receiving yards last year. And I'm not certain, but I think that included the 85 yard bowl TD reception. So I'm not very sure about his hands.

But his history says that he can run and score. He's a big dude. But not SEC speed.

I agree. I would like to see him as FB as a lead blocker and somebody who can be very dangerous (see bowl game) on screen passes.

 

[TheDouglas78]

I think he'd be a better fit at FB. Have him as a lead blocker and running it in on short yardage situations. He only got like 100 receiving yards last year. And I'm not certain, but I think that included the 85 yard bowl TD reception. So I'm not very sure about his hands.

But his history says that he can run and score. He's a big dude. But not SEC speed.

I see fullback and/or H-back as well...doesn't hasn't shown the quickiness to get in and out of passing lane cuts that a TE would need. His hands are questionable, dropped a few wide open screens last season. If his hands were better maybe a role like former 49ers Fullback Rathman.

 

[TheDouglas78]

I thought I saw somewhere when he ran neck and neck with Scarlett in the 40? His build is also similar to that of The Killer...

Coming out of his transfer he was supposed to be fast, but he doesn't have quick acceleration... top end speed is there, but lacks quickiness and SEC acceleration.

 

[GatorJB]

Can he block? If not, then there's not much of a reason to change his position.

 

[TheDouglas78]

Can he block? If not, then there's not much of a reason to change his position.

he did on a few two back sets we ran, but consistently, don't know.

 

[Frozen Gator]

The biggest problem I saw was ball security

 

[Thick&ThinG8r]

He seems a bit tall for your prototypical FB think John lL Williams & Latsko. Of course he can't be much worse than the DT's that have been in the backfield on goaline situations the last few years.

 

[Gatorbait25]

We already have a couple of guys who can play the position fairly well. In addition this move would likely stunt the development of Gamble,who
the staff seems to really like. Thompson is a 4 to 5 carry guy at best, barring injury to Scalett and Perine. Maybe he can help out on kick return as a lead blocker since he doesn't have great acceleration.

 

[GatorJ]

He seems a bit tall for your prototypical FB think John lL Williams & Latsko. Of course he can't be much worse than the DT's that have been in the backfield on goaline situations the last few years.

He's 6'2, 237lbs. Seems plenty big to me.

Latsko was 5'10, 232
JL: 5'11, 231

 

[MertzJay26]

The real question is can we redshirt him for a year? That way he'd have more time to learn the position.

Crete?

 

[TheDouglas78]

He seems a bit tall for your prototypical FB think John lL Williams & Latsko. Of course he can't be much worse than the DT's that have been in the backfield on goaline situations the last few years.

A list of all time NFL fullbacks:

Larry Csonka 6-3 235lbs
Daryl "Moose" Johnston 6'2" 242 lbs
Tom Rathman 6-1 230 lbs
Lorenzo Neal 6' 260 lbs
Tony Richardson 6-1 220

could list more... so about the same as a number of well producing NFL fullbacks.

 

[GatorJ]

He's 6'2, 237lbs. Seems plenty big to me.

Latsko was 5'10, 232
JL: 5'11, 231

He seems a bit tall for your prototypical FB think John lL Williams & Latsko. Of course he can't be much worse than the DT's that have been in the backfield on goaline situations the last few years.

I obviously have reading comprehension issues. I thought you said "smallest".

 

[URGatorBait]

I obviously have reading comprehension issues.

;)

 

[BMF]

There's a story on Gatorsports about him. Says he's "more humble" now and seems to be doing the right things (according to the coaches).....and is working on his ball security.

I expect him to be the #2/3 TB. He's not changing positions. Also, article says he's up to 245lbs w/ no lost speed:

http://www.gatorsports.com/article/...doing-right-thing-after-humbling-first-season


Last August, junior college transfer Mark Thompson brazenly predicted he would already have 1,000 yards rushing by the time the Florida Gators reached their open date on the week of Oct. 22.

And how did that work out?

Well, let's see, he fell only 738 yards short. Yes, short.

And things only went south from there. He lost playing time and carries due to ball security issues, was suspended from the Georgia game for a violation of team rules and basically disappeared over the final five games of the regular season, rushing for only 37 yards on nine carries.

All in all, it was a lousy fall for Thompson.

The good news is he ended his first season on a positive note -- that breathtaking 85-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in the Outback Bowl where he broke half a dozen tackles and then outran the Iowa secondary.

The even better news is that last year's overall experience seems to have humbled and matured Thompson.

“I would say last year did motivate me and humble me,” he said. “I made some predictions, I said some things. I was saying a lot before even stepping on the field. Yes, it humbled me a lot. And this year I'm just looking forward to my progress from year one to year two and I will have a lot of focus.”

Perspective from RB Lamical Perine
UF coach Jim McElwain has noticed the change in Thompson. He said Monday that he's happy with the spring Thompson is having, noting that “he's taken some maturity steps.”

A good way to measure those steps is Thompson's prediction for this season, which he made after Monday's practice.

“Hey, just get on the field, make some film for the NFL guys to look at and get some stock to my name,” he said. “I'm headed in the right direction. I'm not heading backward, I'm not taking any steps back. I'm very, very ready to see what's in store for me these next few months.”

Thompson came across as a “me” guy with his prediction last August. His tough season in 2016 seems to have knocked that out of him.

“I had some hiccups learning, not only football, but things off the field as well,” he said. “I could have had a way better first year in all aspects of being at the University of Florida. But, you make the biggest transition from year one to year two, so I'm looking forward to it.”

Thompson said the low point last season was being suspended from the Georgia game after being cited for possession of marijuana the Thursday before the game.

“Definitely, missing that Georgia game. It hurt,” he said. “Growing up, that was the main game. I was always like, 'Florida-Georgia, I got to watch this'. So not being able to play in that game really hurt, and it really made me realize, 'Hey, I'm not doing the right thing, let me step back and really re-evaluate everything I'm doing, and stay on the right track'.”

Thompson seems to be executing that game plan — on the field and off.

He's in excellent shape — bigger and stronger and even a little bit quicker carrying 245 pounds of power.

“Right now, I'm at 240, 245 and it feels good on me,” he said. “I'm moving fine. I've been getting acclimated with my new weight.”

On the field, Thompson is focusing on ball security, a problem that led to a lot of bench time in the second half of the season.

“Obviously, no one is going to stay on the field if they're not holding onto the ball,” he said. “That's the No. 1 cardinal rule of offense. I'm working on my pad level to stay low. Don't even give defenders a chance to get the ball.”

Off the field, Thompson is following a simple mantra: do the right thing.

“Just positive vibes, positive things all around me and doing the right thing at all times,” he said. “Just a lot to work on. I can look back on my mistakes and don't even put myself in the same situations anymore, just do the right thing at all times.”

Thompson still comes across as a confident player. But that arrogant edge he had last August seems to be gone, replaced by a much more humble persona.

A tough season like he went through can do that.

“Adversity is a part of life, no matter what you're doing,” Thompson said. “And perseverance is, in my opinion, the key to life. You're always going to come across speed bumps, struggles. Things that you have to get past on your journey, whatever you're trying to do. So I look at it as a speed bump, a learning experience and mistakes that can't be repeated.”

He said those speed bumps are behind him now and he's ready for his Florida career to take off in season two.

The way he ended season one — with that electrifying 85-yard TD in the Outback Bowl — is a positive start.

“It not only shows my coaches and teammates that I'm really focused and really wanting to do my best, but it showed a lot of doubters and non-believers that I care what they think,” Thompson said. “Anyone who has a negative opinion about me, I hope that that kind of said 'OK, this guy is the same guy we thought he was.' ”

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Do we have examples of anybody who had ball security issues for more than a season that overcame them. That just seems to be something that's chronic.

 

[TheDouglas78]

Do we have examples of anybody who had ball security issues for more than a season that overcame them. That just seems to be something that's chronic.

Tiki Barber with the Giants had it for a few season, then started hanging on it it... spent the offseason working it, with how he placed the ball in his arms.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Do we have examples of anybody who had ball security issues for more than a season that overcame them. That just seems to be something that's chronic.

Jordan Scarlett had issues as a freshman.... seems to be doing ok.

Look, I don't know if Thompson will get better or not, but remember he was a WR who moved to RB as a soph. So, he only had one season of juco coaching when he arrived on campus.

He was also a guy who lost the ball extending too much trying to get that extra yard or two. Omarius Hines was like that too. Sometimes they have to be coached to just go down rather than get out of control or get held up and hit by multiple dudes some of whom are ripping or putting their helmet on the ball.

He is saying the right thing, ball control and pad level. Those are the things he needs desperately to fix. The talent is there, but sometimes fast long striders don't work well at TB. He looks slow getting to and through the line because he has to make chop steps until he breaks through.