The Olympian Logo

John McGrath: UW’s Shaq Thompson has first of many ‘career days’ | The Olympian

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • About Us
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Plus
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Newspaper in Education
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services
    • Archives

    • News
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Death Notices
    • Education
    • Local News
    • Military News
    • Obituaries
    • Politics & Government
    • State
    • Traffic
    • Watchdog
    • Weather
    • Opinion
    • Cartoons
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Opinion Columns
    • Submit a Letter
    • Sports
    • College
    • High School
    • Mariners
    • Preps Stats
    • Seahawks
    • Sounders
    • UW Huskies
    • Politics
    • Living
    • Announcements
    • Food
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Travel
    • Entertainment
    • Arts & Culture
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Events Calendar
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Restaurants
    • Outdoors
    • Fishing

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad
  • Mobile & Apps

Sports

John McGrath: UW’s Shaq Thompson has first of many ‘career days’

By John McGrath - Staff writer

    ORDER REPRINT →

September 13, 2014 08:16 PM

Shaq Thompson scored two touchdowns for the Washington Huskies on Saturday, which should be no surprise to anybody familiar with the dazzling moves he showed as an all-purpose electro-back in high school.

But the touchdowns Thompson produced during Washington’s 44-19 victory over Illinois were not on offensive plays specifically designed for him. They were the work of a linebacker with an intuitive sense for the ball — and what to do with the ball once he gets it.

“His ability to make things happen with a ball in his hands,” said Huskies defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, “is awesome.”

The Huskies didn’t need Thompson to dominate Saturday. Unlike Vernon Adams, Jr., the Eastern Washington quarterback who threw an array of pinpoint passes on the run last week, Illinois’ Wes Lunt operated out of a pocket that played to the defense’s strengths. The UW offense, meanwhile, controlled the clock with a balanced attack more efficient than spectacular.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Olympian

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Four Huskies ran for at least 40 yards, and four receivers caught a pass 25 yards or longer. The issue never was in doubt, and yet Thompson still managed to steal the show.

With Washington leading, 14-3, midway through the first quarter, Lunt threw a pass that Thompson picked off at the Fighting Illini 26 and returned to the end zone. A few minutes later, after Dwayne Washington’s rushing touchdown all but put the game out of reach, Thompson retrieved Lunt’s fumble and scored on a 52-yard return.

“That’s a career type of day for some people,” said Kwiatkowski, a former defensive lineman and Big Sky Conference defensive player of the year who can recall picking off three passes while at Boise State.

But he never scored a touchdown. For that matter, it’s almost certain no Huskies player has converted an interception and a fumble into touchdowns on the same afternoon.

“We looked, and looked, and couldn’t find anybody who’s done that,” said Jeff Bechtold, Washington’s Sports Information Director for football.

If Thompson’s performance was unprecedented in the 125-year history of UW football, the achievement didn’t seem to impress the low-key junior from Sacramento, California.

He pointed out that the pick was a group effort — Lunt, under pressure, was hit high and low simultaneously as he released the ball — and how the fumble couldn’t have been returned without defensive end Andrew Hudson and linebacker John Timo forcing Lunt to cough up the ball.

When he saw the ball on the ground, Thompson didn’t hesitate on what to do.

“You’ve gotta score,” he said. “That was my first thought: Just score.”

Regarding fumbles, by the way, the Huskies coaches extol a philosophy — standard nowadays — of maximizing the turnover, instead of simply falling on the ball.

“If there’s not a lot of traffic around the ball,” said Kwiatkowski, “we want the guys go to scoop and score. Defensively, our job is getting the ball back and scoring. Shaq made it look real easy.”

Thompson made it look easy last week, too, when he was used for one series as a running back and scored a 57-yard touchdown on the third of his three carries. He got another series on offense against the Illini, first drive of the second half, and sprang for a 13-yard gain that had the look of something more significant when he lost his footing.

“I thought,” he said, “I was free.”

So did everybody else who has come to consider a linebacker, listed at 6-feet-1 and 228 pounds, as the Huskies’ version of the Seahawks’ Percy Harvin.

“I enjoy watching him play,” head coach Chris Petersen said of Thompson. “I haven’t been around him in game situations a whole lot — just spring ball, fall camp, and three games. He’s just a player. You put him on offense, and he does some good things. He’s good on special teams. And then he creates his own offense on defense.”

Two touchdowns on turnover returns is, by any definition, a career day. It wasn’t Shaq Thompson’s first, and it won’t be his last.

  Comments  

Videos

Mike Hopkins on UW’s win over Washington State

Starters for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game

View More Video

Trending Stories

Woman dies after wreck on highway in Thurston County

February 17, 2019 11:20 AM

Infant girl, plus woman holding her, suffer gunshot wounds after man ‘shows off’ handgun at party

February 17, 2019 09:48 AM

Another storm, another big question: Why was power out for so long?

February 16, 2019 07:00 AM

Report: Payless will close all of its shoe stores

February 17, 2019 02:01 PM

Three from Thurston County win Mat Classic titles. Yelm’s Dubose, Platt go back-to-back

February 17, 2019 10:11 AM
Local display advertising by PaperG

Read Next

Alfa Romeo unveils Formula 1 car for new season

Sports

Alfa Romeo unveils Formula 1 car for new season

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 18, 2019 01:05 AM

Formula One team Alfa Romeo has unveiled its new car for the 2019 season that will be piloted by former champion Kimi Raikkonen.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Olympian

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE SPORTS

Semenya arrives for landmark case at Swiss sports tribunal

Celebrities

Semenya arrives for landmark case at Swiss sports tribunal

February 18, 2019 12:51 AM
Australia police say they didn’t know Bahraini was refugee

Nation & World

Australia police say they didn’t know Bahraini was refugee

February 18, 2019 12:40 AM

Sports

Niedermayer sets night’s tone as Ducks rout Capitals

February 18, 2019 12:00 AM

Basketball

Kevin Durant is NBA All-Star game MVP in Team LeBron’s comeback win over Team Giannis

February 18, 2019 12:00 AM

Basketball

It’s now back to serious Lakers work for James

February 18, 2019 12:00 AM
Team LeBron rallies to beat Team Giannis, 178-164

Nation & World

Team LeBron rallies to beat Team Giannis, 178-164

February 17, 2019 09:34 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

The Olympian App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Contests-Promotions
  • Vacation Hold
  • Rewards
  • Pay Your Bill
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Photo Store
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • Place an Obituary
  • Today's Circulars
  • Special Sections
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story