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Huskies LB/RB Thompson wins Hornung Award

Washington’s Shaq Thompson, left, scores on an interception, one of four scores he had on defense this season. (Associated Press)
Christian Caple Tacoma News Tribune
Washington’s Shaq Thompson, left, scores on an interception, one of four scores he had on defense this season. (Associated Press)

SEATTLE – Whether he played linebacker, safety, running back or special teams, Washington Huskies junior Shaq Thompson seemed to find a way to make big plays in 2014.

And on Friday, Thompson was named the winner of this year’s Paul Hornung Award, which seeks annually to honor the most versatile player in college football.

“It really hasn’t hit me,” Thompson said in a statement through the Louisville Sports Commission, which sponsors the award. “It’s a great honor for me to be named the Paul Hornung Award winner. I had an opportunity to show my versatility on both sides of the ball this year and I’m just happy that I was able to accomplish all I did this season and be recognized for my efforts. ”

Thompson and his family will be honored at a ceremony in Louisville on Jan. 27.

The junior from Grant High School in Sacramento, California, didn’t play any offense in his first two seasons at Washington, sticking strictly to linebacker. But under first-year coach Chris Petersen, he began dabbling as a ball carrier.

And he was good at it. On his third carry of the season (and his career), Thompson ran 57 yards for a touchdown against Eastern Washington – and as a linebacker in that game, he recorded 14 tackles, including a sack.

Thompson finished the regular season ranked third on the team in rushing yards with 456, but led the Huskies in rushing through their first 10 games. And his average of 7.5 yards per carry is tops among UW running backs.

As a linebacker, he totaled 71 tackles despite playing predominantly running back in three games. He also forced three fumbles, recovered four, and was a standout on special teams.

The week after his big game against EWU, Thompson scored the first two of his single-season school-record four defensive touchdowns, returning an interception (36 yards) and a fumble (52 yards) for scores in a 44-19 victory over Illinois.

Thompson later added a 32-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Stanford, and a game-changing, 100-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the first quarter of the Huskies’ 31-7 victory at California.

After UW’s top two running backs, Dwayne Washington and Lavon Coleman, each suffered injuries in a loss to Oregon, Thompson accepted close to full-time running back duties for two games.

He rushed for 98 yards on 21 carries against Arizona State. He rushed for 174 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against Colorado (and totaled 215 yards from scrimmage). And he rushed for 100 yards on 16 carries against UCLA, and also made four tackles at linebacker.

After that, Thompson requested a full-time move back to linebacker, which has always been his preferred position. He started there in each of UW’s final three regular-season games, totaling 13 tackles.