Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson has committed to Florida Atlantic, he told ESPN on Wednesday. By joining the Owls for his final season of eligibility, the one-time Texas signee with his old coach, Tom Herman, who was hired in December after a couple of years away from coaching.
Thompson signed with Texas as a three-star prospect out of Newcastle (Oklahoma) High School. He redshirted in his first year with the Longhorns and did not really break through until the 2020 Alamo Bowl against Colorado, when he completed 8 of 10 passes for 170 yards and four touchdowns in a 55-23 win.
Herman was fired in early 2021 after winning four bowl games in four seasons with the Longhorns. Thompson stuck with UT and started the final 10 games of 2021 under new coach Steve Sarkisian before entering the portal at season's end.
Thompson enrolled at Nebraska, where he started 10 games in 2022 while battling through injuries. Upon his second entrance to the portal, 247Sports listed him as the No. 37 quarterback on the market. He visited Auburn in May, though the Tigers eventually found their transfer QB in former Michigan State signal-caller Payton Thorne.
Thompson's familiarity with Herman's coaching style and system should make him an immediate factor in Florida Atlantic's starting QB competition. N'Kosi Perry, who threw 25 touchdowns last year as FAU's starter, is out of eligibility, and his backup Willie Taggart Jr., transferred to Western Kentucky.
