Battle of Florida a Final College Stage for Thompson and Others to Shine On
Saturday, January 21, 2012 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A quick scan of the rosters yields plenty of familiar names to those in the Sunshine State who follow college football closely.
There's former South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia, Florida State running back Jermaine Thomas, USF receiver A.J. Love, Kentucky linebacker Ronnie Sneed and Gators receiver Deonte Thompson.
The two most recognizable names are Bobby Bowden and Howard Schnellenberger, two of the patriarchs that boosted the state's profile nationally over the past four decades. Bowden and Schnellenberger are the head coaches in the inaugural Battle of Florida All-Star Game on Saturday night (8 p.m., FOX College Sports) at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton.
It will be Bowden's first time coaching since his final game – a Gator Bowl win over West Virginia to cap the 2009 season – after 34 seasons at FSU.
“If there was any pressure, I wouldn't be here,” the 82-year-old Bowden quipped to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Friday morning at his North team's practice.
Thompson is joined by two of his former Florida teammates, defensive end William Green and offensive lineman Dan Wenger. Green is on Bowden's North squad while Thompson and Wenger are playing for Schnellenberger's South team.
To play in the Battle of Florida players must be draft-eligible and played high school or college football in the state. It provides them with a final opportunity to make an impression on NFL scouts in a college game.
Thompson could be the poster boy for a game like this.
“Ever since the ninth grade, you thought Thompson would play on the weekends," former NFL receiver and Glades Central coach Jessie Hester told the Palm Beach Post earlier this week.
He arrived at Florida in 2007 considered one of the state's top prospects, a dangerous receiver with speed to burn out of Glades Central High in Belle Glades. Thompson won a state championship his senior year and was on the radar of nearly every big-time program.
He chose the Gators and after redshirting as a freshman, Thompson caught 101 passes for 1,446 yards and nine touchdowns over the next four seasons. Those numbers represent a steady contributor. Florida fans expected another Percy Harvin.
Thompson's best season was in 2010 as a junior when he caught 38 passes for 570 yards. As a senior, Thompson snagged 21 receptions for 264 yards, his only touchdown of the season coming in Florida's win over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl. He said he has tried to use that as “momentum for this game.”
Thompson is considered a long shot to get drafted according to most draft analysts, but that hasn't stopped him from working hard to improve his stock this week.
“I feel great,” Thompson said Friday. “I've had a great practice and everything went well. The practices were competitive, real competitive. You've some of the guys you played against in high school and we haven't played against each other in a while, so we were getting after it out there.”
Thompson said he has talked to many scouts this week and that his speed will likely be his ticket to the NFL.
The quarterbacks for the South are FIU's Wes Carroll, Webber International's Chris Hart and Kansas State's Lamur Sammuel. Thompson is pleased with the rhythm he developed with the quarterbacks during their brief time together.
Asked what would be a good day for him on Saturday, Thompson replied: “I just want to do what I was doing in practice, keep making big plays.”
Wenger and Green are also considered unlikely to be drafted, but all it takes is one scout to be impressed by something he sees to open the door to an opportunity.
Thompson sounded pleased at the feedback he has received from scouts.
“They are very impressed. Everything is looking good pretty much,” he said. “They want to see my speed.”
Thompson will continue to train in South Florida until UF's Pro Day.
Until then, he hopes the experience with the Battle of Florida will make a difference in his career. Being around Schnellenberger has helped.
“He's a legendary coach,” Thompson said. “When he speaks, you listen."
