Charles Thompson | |
---|---|
Sport | Football |
Position | Quarterback |
Jersey # | 6 |
Career | 1989–1992 |
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
Weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
Nationality | USA |
Born |
Lawton, Oklahoma |
May 28, 1968
Bowl games | |
1989 Florida Citrus Bowl |
Charles Thompson (born May 28, 1968) is an American businessman, motivational speaker, and former football player, best known for his tenure and spectacular downfall as the quarterback of the Oklahoma Sooners.
Raised in Lawton, Oklahoma, Thompson proved to be a highly skilled athlete and was recruited by the University of Oklahoma, a premier NCAA Division I-A college football program, under head coach Barry Switzer. He was also drafted by Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds in the 34th round as a second baseman; however, he decided to focus on football. As a redshirt freshman, Thompson became the starting quarterback of the nationally ranked Sooners for the 1987 season. The highlight came on November 21, 1987, when Thompson led the offense of then #2-ranked Sooners to a dominating victory over the #1 Nebraska Cornhuskers in a game that was heavily hyped as the Game of the Century II. Thompson subsequently appeared on the cover of the November 30 issue of Sports Illustrated as the Sooners took the #1 spot in the polls. While the Sooners would drop their final game of the season in the 1988 Orange Bowl and finish 11-1, Thompson's status as a nationally famous collegiate athlete was confirmed.