Texas Tech football: Big 12 offensive weapons that will be a problem in 2020

KSU QB Skylar Thompson isn’t spectacular but he’s tough as nails

Some players take us by surprise because they lack flair and the wow factor but they still manage to win games.  That’s exactly how KSU QB Skylar Thompson can be described and more than ever in 2020, he will be the center of the Wildcat universe.

When you look at his stats from a year ago, it’s tough to be overly impressed.  The 6-foot-2, 212-pounder threw for a mere 2,315 yards and 12 TDs while completing just 59.6% of his passes.  By comparison, Jett Duffey bested him in all three categories, which is significant in regard to the first two being as Duffey started just 8 games while Thompson started 13.

But one thing the senior does well is take care of the football.  Last year, he threw just 5 INTs and he’s had just 12 in his three-year career.  He also is a sneaky runner having amassed 405 yards and 11 TDs with his feet last fall.

This year, KSU will have to replace 2019’s leading rusher, James Gilbert, and leading receiver, Dalton Schoen.  And being as Thompson will be the program’s leading returning rusher on top of the fact that no returning receiver put up more than 400 yards last year, it is easy to see just how much will fall upon the QB’s shoulders.

Against Tech, Thompson led KSU to a 30-27 win in Lubbock.  That night, he was his typically efficient self as he threw for 246 yards, two TDs, and a pick while rushing for 14 more yards.

He’s the quintessential KSU QB because just like the program he plays for, he is blue-collar, hard-nosed, and tough to kill.  This year, he will be asked to do even more for the Wildcats and when the Red Raiders head to Manhattan, their entire defensive gameplan will be centered around stopping Skylar Thompson.