Tyler Thompson enters the 2025 season as the reigning Class 4A Mr. Football Award winner. (Post File Photo by Chris Siers)
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
A year ago, Tyler Thompson didn’t have a single start under his belt as starting quarterback for the Marshall County Tigers.
My, oh my, how much can change in a single season.
In his first year as signal caller for the Tigers, Thompson orchestrated one of the best seasons at quarterback that’s been seen at any level.
Because of his play, he ultimately led the Tigers to the third-round of the Class 4A state playoffs and etched his name into Marshall County history by winning the Class 4A Mr. Football Award.
A season ago, Thompson completed over 68% of his passes and tossed a remarkable 45 touchdown passes against just seven interceptions.
He threw for over 2,800 yards and tacked on another 11 rushing touchdowns as well.
Although the Tigers saw their season come to a close in the third-round of the Class 4A state playoffs, Thompson still turned in one of the best single season performances in school history throughout his junior campaign.
Entering the offseason prior to his junior year, the only question is, where does he go from there?
Throughout the summer, Thompson worked on attending camps and putting his name out there a part of his college recruitment.
“I just went to a lot of camps and tried to get my name out to a lot of colleges. Had summer workouts and gained a lot of weight. Just looking forward to the season,” he said.
While focusing on key parts of his game, Thompson hit the weight room and is sporting a bulkier build heading into his senior year.
He’s put on nearly 20 pounds of weight, while focusing on his ability to run the ball as well, transforming into a true dual-threat quarterback.
“Being bigger and feeling like I can break more tackles. I’ve gotten faster, too. Just the explosiveness of my game, break contain and make plays with my legs,” he said.
Thompson leads the biggest senior class under 12-year head coach Thomas Osteen and his leadership has been one of the team’s key cornerstones in the offseason.
“I’ve been here 12 years now and it’s the biggest senior class I’ve had. When you’ve got a big group like them that has some experience, it means a lot. They’ve led well this season,” Osteen said.
While every returning quarterback always showcases growth in their progression at the position, Osteen said Thompson has a few new wrinkles to his game that will help lead the Tigers in the 2025 season.
“No. 1, this time last year, he hadn’t started a high school football game yet. He’s got 13 games under his belt and won 12 football games. His understanding of the offense is better. He’s basically a coach on the field now. There’s very little thinking he’s doing out there. It’s just reacting and running the whole process and running the plays. And the flip side of that, his urgency is better. He’s gained weight and more explosive,” Osteen added.
With kickoff still several weeks away, Thompson said he’s just excited to get his senior season underway.
“I’m really excited. I feel like we have a great team this year,” he said.
The Tigers open the 2025 season on Friday, August 22 at Lincoln County.
