Skylar Thompson carves out special place in K-State football history with QB records
The loudest moment from Kansas State’s final home game of the season might not happen when the Wildcats score their first touchdown or make a big play on defense against Baylor.
Instead, it might occur about 10 minutes before kickoff when veteran quarterback Skylar Thompson bids farewell to K-State fans during the team’s senior day ceremonies.
He is arguably the most popular K-State passer since the days of Collin Klein.
For good reason. Thompson has been starting games for the Wildcats since he was a redshirt freshman in 2017, but it probably feels like much longer than that for some. He has been at K-State so long that he backed up Jesse Ertz, rotated with Alex Delton and tutored Will Howard. He signed with former coach Bill Snyder, thrived under current coach Chris Klieman and set two program records that won’t soon be broken.
No quarterback in school history has started more games (38) or won more games as a starter (23) than Thompson since K-State began keeping track of those statistics in 1990. Those records don’t belong to Michael Bishop, Ell Roberson or Klein. They belong to the guy who was good enough to start quickly after graduating from Fort Osage High School and then never wanted to leave.
“It’s obviously very special,” Thompson said. “I know I have been here for six years and I have played a lot of games. People will say what they want, but I have worked very hard. There were times I could have quit or given up or moved on, but I stuck it out and continued to fight and give everything I had for this university. To have my name in that category, it’s really special. It’s an honor. I’m grateful for it. I just want to keep it going and keep winning. That’s where my mindset is at.”
There were times when Thompson wasn’t the big man on campus and fans questioned if he had what it took to lead the K-State offense. But it’s hard to argue with everything he has accomplished when he’s been healthy under Klieman.
Thompson led the Wildcats to a memorable upset over Oklahoma and an 8-5 record in 2019. Then he engineered another victory over the Sooners last season. His goal was to continue playing at a high level and then pursue a NFL career, but he was forced to reconsider his plans when he was lost for the season with an injury the following week.
After some thought, he decided to return to K-State as a “super senior.” That was a good choice, based on his recent play.
Thompson has completed 71.6% of his passes for 1,696 yards and nine touchdowns while guiding the Wildcats to a 7-3 start. K-State center Noah Johnson says he is playing at a “Heisman level.” He is going out with a bang.
“My journey here has been crazy,” Thompson said. “Just thinking back to how it started and the ups and downs and everything else, this university and fan base has meant a lot to me. Them sticking with me and believing in me no matter what ... it means a lot.”
K-State fans roared in approval when Thompson returned to the field following a scary knee injury earlier this season, and they will likely continue to support him on Saturday.
This is their last opportunity to cheer him on at home. It seems weird to think someone else will lead the offense next season.
K-State offensive linemen have grown so comfortable with Thompson that they can suggest changing plays at the line of scrimmage simply by making eye contact. Coaches trust him so much that they often let him call plays before key third downs.
“I will miss his competitiveness and the fact that you know he just comes to work every day and wants to get better and challenges his teammates to get better,” Klieman said. “I think that’s the sign of a great servant leader. Servant leaders make everybody around them better.”
Senior day will be emotional for Thompson. He says close to 60 family members will be in attendance for Saturday’s game. And he’s not sure how he’s going to say goodbye to the fans.
But he will figure it out. One thing he’s learned during his long career in purple: winning usually takes care of everything else.
“We’re playing a really, really good football team that is coming off a really big win and it’s going to be a great challenge for us,” Thompson said. “So it’s it’s an exciting opportunity for us to finish this season at home out on a on a high note.”
This story was originally published November 18, 2021 at 5:00 AM.