[COLOR= rgb(178, 34, 34)][SIZE= 24px]‘It’s been a blessing’: Dylan Thompson plays regular-season finale on familiar ground[/COLOR][/SIZE]
Dylan Thompson sat down in the news conference following the South Alabama game and wanted to make one point clear. South Carolina’s senior quarterback, who arrived on campus from Boiling Springs for the 2010 season, had just finished his final game at Williams-Brice Stadium.
He thanked USC football coach Steve Spurrier and his staff, as well as athletics director Ray Tanner, for their roles in bringing all the seniors to Columbia.
“It’s just been a blessing to play at this school,“ Thompson said. “We feel like it’s best university in the nation. The guys have done some really special stuff here.”
Special might be the best way to describe the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Thompson’s first full season as the starting quarterback. Although the team hasn’t won at the same level as the previous four seasons, that has more to do with a struggling defense than an offense that’s averaging 35 points and 461 yards per game.
Thompson, who started three games in his first three seasons, has started all 11 games this season. He has completed 227 of 378 passes, a 60-percent success rate, for 3,031 yards, and thrown 23 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He also has rushed for three touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime against Florida, and caught his first touchdown pass last week against the Jaguars.
His single-season yardage total ranks fourth in school history, 175 yards behind record-holder Todd Ellis, who threw for 3,206 yards in 1987.
Thompson said he cares less about breaking a record than defeating rival Clemson for the sixth consecutive time.
“It’d be cool, but I’d be a lot happier with just going up there and getting a win,” he said. “I don’t care if I throw for 50 yards. If we get a win up there, that’d be a good memory to have the last regular-season game. My focus is on this team that we’re playing. They’ve got a good team, and we’re locked in on that this week.”
Thompson knows a little something about knocking off the Tigers in Death Valley. When Connor Shaw was injured before the 2012 game, Thompson stepped in and completed 23 of 41 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns while also converting a third-and-19 play with a 20-yard run.
“You always think you can do well when your number’s called,” he said. “But that game up there, being able to win and our team having a good day and getting the win on the road, that was good, because I hadn’t played in a road game before, really.”
He capped that season with two passing touchdowns in the Outback Bowl victory against Michigan, which included the game-winner to Bruce Ellington with 11 seconds to play.
Thompson’s presence as Shaw’s reliable backup paved the way for him to take over this season. A model student-athlete, he graduated in May with a degree in sport and entertainment management, and he’s also open about professing his devout Christian faith. That steadiness, along with his knowledge of USC’s offense and ability to execute it, made him an easy choice for Spurrier to keep on the field for almost every play this season.
He has made it through ups and downs, from 271 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win against Georgia to his three-interception games in losses to Kentucky and Auburn, although he threw for 402 yards and five touchdowns against the Tigers.
“It’s been fun to learn each week and get to experience new things and play every single week. It’s been a blessing to be able to do that,” Thompson said. “I’ve had the opportunity to play a lot of cool places on the road. Just the moments with teammates in crunch time and being able to experience that and seeing how hungry guys are to win is what I’ll probably remember the most.”
Thompson, who also has a shot at Steve Taneyhill’s single-season record of 29 touchdown passes set in 1995, has the support of good friends and teammates like senior guard A.J. Cann.
“Obviously, our offense is set to do a lot of good things this season and as a quarterback and a leader, he has done a good job,” Cann said. “He’s a great guy and a great player. I’m proud of him. It was a honor to play with him.”
Dylan Thompson sat down in the news conference following the South Alabama game and wanted to make one point clear. South Carolina’s senior quarterback, who arrived on campus from Boiling Springs for the 2010 season, had just finished his final game at Williams-Brice Stadium.
He thanked USC football coach Steve Spurrier and his staff, as well as athletics director Ray Tanner, for their roles in bringing all the seniors to Columbia.
“It’s just been a blessing to play at this school,“ Thompson said. “We feel like it’s best university in the nation. The guys have done some really special stuff here.”
Special might be the best way to describe the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Thompson’s first full season as the starting quarterback. Although the team hasn’t won at the same level as the previous four seasons, that has more to do with a struggling defense than an offense that’s averaging 35 points and 461 yards per game.
Thompson, who started three games in his first three seasons, has started all 11 games this season. He has completed 227 of 378 passes, a 60-percent success rate, for 3,031 yards, and thrown 23 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He also has rushed for three touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime against Florida, and caught his first touchdown pass last week against the Jaguars.
His single-season yardage total ranks fourth in school history, 175 yards behind record-holder Todd Ellis, who threw for 3,206 yards in 1987.
Thompson said he cares less about breaking a record than defeating rival Clemson for the sixth consecutive time.
“It’d be cool, but I’d be a lot happier with just going up there and getting a win,” he said. “I don’t care if I throw for 50 yards. If we get a win up there, that’d be a good memory to have the last regular-season game. My focus is on this team that we’re playing. They’ve got a good team, and we’re locked in on that this week.”
Thompson knows a little something about knocking off the Tigers in Death Valley. When Connor Shaw was injured before the 2012 game, Thompson stepped in and completed 23 of 41 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns while also converting a third-and-19 play with a 20-yard run.
“You always think you can do well when your number’s called,” he said. “But that game up there, being able to win and our team having a good day and getting the win on the road, that was good, because I hadn’t played in a road game before, really.”
He capped that season with two passing touchdowns in the Outback Bowl victory against Michigan, which included the game-winner to Bruce Ellington with 11 seconds to play.
Thompson’s presence as Shaw’s reliable backup paved the way for him to take over this season. A model student-athlete, he graduated in May with a degree in sport and entertainment management, and he’s also open about professing his devout Christian faith. That steadiness, along with his knowledge of USC’s offense and ability to execute it, made him an easy choice for Spurrier to keep on the field for almost every play this season.
He has made it through ups and downs, from 271 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win against Georgia to his three-interception games in losses to Kentucky and Auburn, although he threw for 402 yards and five touchdowns against the Tigers.
“It’s been fun to learn each week and get to experience new things and play every single week. It’s been a blessing to be able to do that,” Thompson said. “I’ve had the opportunity to play a lot of cool places on the road. Just the moments with teammates in crunch time and being able to experience that and seeing how hungry guys are to win is what I’ll probably remember the most.”
Thompson, who also has a shot at Steve Taneyhill’s single-season record of 29 touchdown passes set in 1995, has the support of good friends and teammates like senior guard A.J. Cann.
“Obviously, our offense is set to do a lot of good things this season and as a quarterback and a leader, he has done a good job,” Cann said. “He’s a great guy and a great player. I’m proud of him. It was a honor to play with him.”
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