SE: “He’s Been Everything” – Thompson Set for Final Start at K-State
Jan 03, 2022 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
They told him that he was standing too close to the cameras and asked him to take one step back, then another step, and then another step. Skylar Thompson, smiling in his green quarterback practice jersey under the lights in the University of Houston indoor practice facility on Sunday, politely obliged.
"Are we good?" Thompson asked, taking a few steps backward.
Yeah, we are good.
As Thompson nears the final game of his incredible six-year career at Kansas State, it becomes important to take a few steps back, it becomes imperative to bring everything into focus, and it becomes necessary to applaud the achievements and body of work of one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to step into the Vanier Family Football Complex before he ambles onto the field at NRG Stadium to face LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, and then disappears into the locker room and takes off his purple No. 7 uniform for good.
College careers come and go in a flash. Thousands of young men have worn the purple and white. Of those thousands, many have significantly contributed to some modicum of success either at Memorial Stadium or Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Of those many, we remember dozens of names, and of those dozens, some major contributors can still sometimes escape the memory bank — their face or uniform number ever-present, but the name on the back blurred through time.
We will always remember Skylar Thompson at K-State.
"He's a special one," said K-State interim offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Collin Klein, a finalist for the 2012 Heisman Trophy.
"He took the opportunity and he's done some magnificent things for the university, and he's going to finish out strong," said 1998 Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Bishop.
"He's been everything," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said.
It's easy numerically to put into focus what Thompson has meant to K-State. He's the first quarterback since at least 1990 to win 23 games as a starter, he's the first player in history to record 6,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards, and he ranks top 10 all-time in 15 different statistical categories. Thompson ranks second all-time in total yards (7,952), second all-time in passing yards (6,875), third all-time in touchdown passes (39), and fourth all-time in passing efficiency (140.6).
He entered bowl season ranked ninth in Big 12 Conference history in interception percentage (1.87), 17th in passing yards per attempt (8.01) and 23rd in yards per completion (12.93).
No quarterback in K-State history has endured or enjoyed a career quite like Thompson. He started out his career as the third-string quarterback. Then he helped his team to a top-10 victory. Then he was a part of a two-quarterback system. Then he had a new head coach. Then he beat Oklahoma. Then he missed almost the entire 2020 season with a shoulder injury, a season that was hampered by the COVID pandemic. Then he was granted a sixth year. Then the comeback. Then a right knee injury early this season. Then another comeback.
Finally, there was the cruel sight of Thompson holding his left leg with less than 5 minutes remaining in his final home game against Baylor on November 20. There were the trainers and doctors. There was the injury tent. There was the cart. And there was the silence as 44,000 fans watched Thompson slowly disappear inside the stadium innards, unable to finish Senior Night on a field that he's called home for more than half a decade.
Alas, on Tuesday night, there will be the return, as prayers and faith, healing hands, weeks of rest and rehabilitation will permit Thompson to leave a legacy on his own terms — something that was unclear in early December.
"He looks really healthy," Klieman said. "I think he's as healthy as he's been all year, to be honest with you. Coming off the couple injuries that he's had, I've seen no ill-effects of anything that's gone on, he's throwing the ball crisp and running the ball well, so I'm looking forward to him having a big football game and he's excited to play."
And teammates are excited to be a part of his final performance.
"He has the opportunity to come out here and go out with a bang," Consensus All-American Deuce Vaughn said. "That's really big. He's been so great for this program, for us as teammates, and for everybody inside that building. To get him out of here with a win will be big time."
"He's a big leader for us," sixth-year senior linebacker Cody Fletcher said. "It's really exciting having him back in control of the offense."
Things simply won't be the same when Thompson heads off the field for good. It's a realization that's hit Klein, who has spent half a decade with Thompson by his side, but Klein hesitates to step back and reflect, because there will be a time to do so, but Sunday simply wasn't that time.
"I don't know if we have time for all of that," Klein replied. "He's a phenomenal young man. His maturity, toughness, consistency — working with him every day, he's impacted me as much as I hope I've impacted him, truly.
"I'm just so grateful that he has this opportunity. To be able to finish and to play and compete one more time, I'm really happy for him."
If there is a part of Thompson that hesitates in taking a step back, it's because taking a step back causes reflection, and reflection oftentimes means that the end is near, and Thompson strives to remain in the present while looking forward.
"In all honesty, there's been times where I've started thinking about (reflecting), and I think, 'I'm not going to put myself through that yet,'" he says. "As we've gotten closer, it's kind of hit me more and more."
Standing inside the University of Houston indoor practice facility, Thompson stepped back, paused, and peered two days down the road, when the final stage would be set, and he would embark on one final performance after a lengthy journey.
"Going into it, it's probably the most meaningful game of my career, not probably — it is," he said. "I'm just trying to focus on the little things and enjoy the little moments in this process. I know it's coming to an end. Saying that, we came down here to win, and that's our main focus."
That's been Thompson's focus all along.
On Tuesday, he will make his 40th and final career start for the Wildcats.
Afterward, he'll take off that purple No. 7 uniform for good.
But as we take a few steps back, and bring everything into focus, Thompson, one of the finest quarterbacks in K-State history, will never be forgotten.
They told him that he was standing too close to the cameras and asked him to take one step back, then another step, and then another step. Skylar Thompson, smiling in his green quarterback practice jersey under the lights in the University of Houston indoor practice facility on Sunday, politely obliged.
"Are we good?" Thompson asked, taking a few steps backward.
Yeah, we are good.
As Thompson nears the final game of his incredible six-year career at Kansas State, it becomes important to take a few steps back, it becomes imperative to bring everything into focus, and it becomes necessary to applaud the achievements and body of work of one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to step into the Vanier Family Football Complex before he ambles onto the field at NRG Stadium to face LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, and then disappears into the locker room and takes off his purple No. 7 uniform for good.
College careers come and go in a flash. Thousands of young men have worn the purple and white. Of those thousands, many have significantly contributed to some modicum of success either at Memorial Stadium or Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Of those many, we remember dozens of names, and of those dozens, some major contributors can still sometimes escape the memory bank — their face or uniform number ever-present, but the name on the back blurred through time.
We will always remember Skylar Thompson at K-State.
"He's a special one," said K-State interim offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Collin Klein, a finalist for the 2012 Heisman Trophy.
"He took the opportunity and he's done some magnificent things for the university, and he's going to finish out strong," said 1998 Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Bishop.
"He's been everything," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said.
It's easy numerically to put into focus what Thompson has meant to K-State. He's the first quarterback since at least 1990 to win 23 games as a starter, he's the first player in history to record 6,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards, and he ranks top 10 all-time in 15 different statistical categories. Thompson ranks second all-time in total yards (7,952), second all-time in passing yards (6,875), third all-time in touchdown passes (39), and fourth all-time in passing efficiency (140.6).
He entered bowl season ranked ninth in Big 12 Conference history in interception percentage (1.87), 17th in passing yards per attempt (8.01) and 23rd in yards per completion (12.93).
No quarterback in K-State history has endured or enjoyed a career quite like Thompson. He started out his career as the third-string quarterback. Then he helped his team to a top-10 victory. Then he was a part of a two-quarterback system. Then he had a new head coach. Then he beat Oklahoma. Then he missed almost the entire 2020 season with a shoulder injury, a season that was hampered by the COVID pandemic. Then he was granted a sixth year. Then the comeback. Then a right knee injury early this season. Then another comeback.
Finally, there was the cruel sight of Thompson holding his left leg with less than 5 minutes remaining in his final home game against Baylor on November 20. There were the trainers and doctors. There was the injury tent. There was the cart. And there was the silence as 44,000 fans watched Thompson slowly disappear inside the stadium innards, unable to finish Senior Night on a field that he's called home for more than half a decade.
Alas, on Tuesday night, there will be the return, as prayers and faith, healing hands, weeks of rest and rehabilitation will permit Thompson to leave a legacy on his own terms — something that was unclear in early December.
"He looks really healthy," Klieman said. "I think he's as healthy as he's been all year, to be honest with you. Coming off the couple injuries that he's had, I've seen no ill-effects of anything that's gone on, he's throwing the ball crisp and running the ball well, so I'm looking forward to him having a big football game and he's excited to play."
And teammates are excited to be a part of his final performance.
"He has the opportunity to come out here and go out with a bang," Consensus All-American Deuce Vaughn said. "That's really big. He's been so great for this program, for us as teammates, and for everybody inside that building. To get him out of here with a win will be big time."
"He's a big leader for us," sixth-year senior linebacker Cody Fletcher said. "It's really exciting having him back in control of the offense."
Things simply won't be the same when Thompson heads off the field for good. It's a realization that's hit Klein, who has spent half a decade with Thompson by his side, but Klein hesitates to step back and reflect, because there will be a time to do so, but Sunday simply wasn't that time.
"I don't know if we have time for all of that," Klein replied. "He's a phenomenal young man. His maturity, toughness, consistency — working with him every day, he's impacted me as much as I hope I've impacted him, truly.
"I'm just so grateful that he has this opportunity. To be able to finish and to play and compete one more time, I'm really happy for him."
If there is a part of Thompson that hesitates in taking a step back, it's because taking a step back causes reflection, and reflection oftentimes means that the end is near, and Thompson strives to remain in the present while looking forward.
"In all honesty, there's been times where I've started thinking about (reflecting), and I think, 'I'm not going to put myself through that yet,'" he says. "As we've gotten closer, it's kind of hit me more and more."
Standing inside the University of Houston indoor practice facility, Thompson stepped back, paused, and peered two days down the road, when the final stage would be set, and he would embark on one final performance after a lengthy journey.
"Going into it, it's probably the most meaningful game of my career, not probably — it is," he said. "I'm just trying to focus on the little things and enjoy the little moments in this process. I know it's coming to an end. Saying that, we came down here to win, and that's our main focus."
That's been Thompson's focus all along.
On Tuesday, he will make his 40th and final career start for the Wildcats.
Afterward, he'll take off that purple No. 7 uniform for good.
But as we take a few steps back, and bring everything into focus, Thompson, one of the finest quarterbacks in K-State history, will never be forgotten.
Players Mentioned
K-State Tennis | Weekend Recap
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Track and Field | Sights & Sounds Steve Miller Invitational
Monday, February 23
K-State Baseball | Highlights vs Michigan - Feb. 22, 2026
Monday, February 23
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Texas Tech
Sunday, February 22
