This could be a one word answer, end of article if we wanted: speed. But it’s my job to go a little more in-depth than that.
Steve Sarkisian wanted, nay, needed speed in his wide receiver room to make the offense work. A total 180 degrees flip from the type Tom Herman recruited (poorly) during his tenure as head coach.
Getting four-star Xavier Worthy was the first step in the 2021 class. Before he fully enrolled at Michigan, Sarkisian was able to get the Fresno speedster to take his talents south. Dividends have already been paid in the form of 16 receptions for 270 yards and four touchdowns.
Brenen Thompson’s commitment is the next piece of the puzzle.
The four-star’s speed alone was enough to attract every top program in the country. His track times are off the charts, running the 100-meter dash in 10.38 seconds and the 200 in 21.27. The latter was good enough to win a state championship.
From a wide receiver standpoint, Thompson is the type you get it out to quickly and let him do these rest. On his junior season tape, Spearman threw a lot of screens or short, underneath routes and let Thompson do the rest. Whether it was being silky and weaving through defenders or just getting the edge and flat out running defenders, Thompson was an issue.
He’s even comfortable coming out of the backfield. Sarkisian will most likely never line him up at running back but with the use of motions, Thompson could end up catching a few swing passes. Jet sweeps should never be out of the equation either.
Thompson is not currently playing football, being out for a “significant amount of time” thanks to an undisclosed injury. The hope is he can run during track season in the spring and enroll at Texas during the summer.
Once he arrives, a changing of the wide receiver room will nearly be complete. The key will turn to development from Andre Coleman and making sure the speed gets used as a pure wide receiver.
There’s a famous video from Sarkisian’s days at Alabama of Jaylen Waddle and Henry Ruggs racing during practice to see who is faster. The latter ended up running a 4.27 40-yard dash at the NFL combine… and was upset with it.
The same culture will be en route to Austin, TX with Thompson on board.
Close your eyes and imagine an 11 personnel grouping during the 2023 season. Keilan Robinson is at running back, Worthy, Thompson, and TBD from the 2022 class (ideally, Evan Stewart) are your wide receivers, and Ja’Tavion Sanders is the tight end.
All around speed. Sarkisian has a type and will not shy away.
Thompson’s addition was the second piece to the critical offensive puzzle.