The news of OU quarterback Kendal Thompson transferring has serious implications for the rest of the Sooner quarterback squad.
Let’s start with the base group we opened the season with — redshirt freshman Trevor Knight, sophomore Kendal Thompson, junior Blake Bell and true freshman Cody Thomas, who redshirted this year.
Add in four-star recruit Justice Hansen who enrolled early at OU at the start of this semester. On top of that, throw in former Texas Tech quarterback Baker Mayfield who, despite having to sit out this year per NCAA transfer regulations, intends to walk on to the OU football team in the 2015 season.
That’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen — six to be exact. So nobody should be surprised at Thompson’s decision.
Looking at things a little more closely, however, there are a few things that could spell trouble for the Sooner quarterback group.
There’s no confirmation yet, but there’s been a few rumblings of moving Bell to play tight end, which OU could really use. Tight ends have been almost nonexistent in the past few seasons at Oklahoma.
And I imagine coaches will want to redshirt Hansen, if at all possible.
So that leaves Knight to start and Thomas to be his back-up.
That’s it.
All of a sudden, the crowded quarterback group is looking pretty slim. Knight had an MVP-worthy game in the Sugar Bowl, but his play throughout the regular season was inconsistent at best. He also got injured in two of the five games he started.
Thomas has never actually played in a college game.
All of a sudden, the over-crowded kitchen is looking all too empty.
Granted, this is all speculation. Maybe Bell won’t make the move over to tight end. Hansen could be the greatest true freshman quarterback since Mayfield, who won the Big 12 freshman of the year honors last season.
Thompson leaving does leave an interesting dynamic for the Oklahoma football team, that much is for sure. The rest will sort itself out. It always does.
