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Former Longhorns QB Casey Thompson Commits To Tom Herman, FAU
Casey Thompson and Tom Herman are reuniting once more.
According to reports, Thompson is committing to Florida Atlantic for his sixth and final season of eligibility. The former Texas starting quarterback will reunite with Herman, who was hired to replace Willie Taggart this offseason.
Casey Thompson, the son of former Oklahoma quarterback Charles Thompson, was recruited by Herman coming out of Oklahoma City in 2018. He sat for two seasons behind longtime Texas starter Sam Ehlinger and was expected to be the immediate replacement following his performance in the Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado.
Herman, who posted a 32-18 record during his four seasons on campus, was fired in favor of then-Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. Once in Austin, Sarkisian created an open competition between Thompson and freshman Hudson Card.
Card, who since has transferred to Purdue, won the starting job outright in 2021, but was later benched after a woeful first half against Arkansas. Thompson started the remaining 10 games and finished with 2,113 passing yards and 24 touchdowns against nine interceptions while also rushing for 157 yards and four more TDs.
Thompson elected to leave the Forty Acres after posting a 5-7 record. He would transfer to Nebraska and win the starting job under Scott Frost. Thompson ended up tied for 11th nationally in passing yards per attempt at 8.8. His 2,407 yards passing ranks seventh in Nebraska history for a single season.
With the arrival of former Baylor and Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule, Thompson once again battled for the starting job with former Georiga Tech quarterback Jeff Sims. Sims, who started 23 games for the Yellow Jackets, seemingly won the job outright this spring, thus forcing Thompson to enter the portal a second time.
According to reports, two SEC programs were expected to be in the running for Thompson once he initially entered the portal. Florida was a prime candidate following the departure of first-round pick Anthony Richardson, but second-year coach Billy Napier decided to stick with Graham Mertz (Wisconsin) and Jack Miller (Ohio State), who joined the program via the transfer portal this offseason.
Under the direction of former Liberty coach Hugh Freeze, Auburn inquired of Thompson's services and brought him on campus for a visit. Ultimately, the Tigers went with former Michigan State starter Payton Thorne, who now will battle with Robby Ashford for the title of QB1.
Herman, who spent the 2021 season as an offensive analyst for the Chicago Bears, will now have a stable option at the game's most crucial position in 2023. The Owls finished last season 72nd in passing behind N'Kosi Perry.
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