Instinct helps make linebacker stand out
Dougie Thompson leads Armwood's defense as they head into the state semifinals tonight.
By KEITH NIEBUHR
Published December 2, 2005
SEFFNER - Armwood linebacker Dougie Thompson doesn't just know his business on the field.
He knows everybody's business.
The guy to his left. The guy to his right. The linemen in front of him. The defensive backs behind him.
No matter the formation or situation, he knows where he and his teammates should be.
"He can point out everything that everyone on that defense has to do," Hawks quarterback Justin Hickman said.
How does Thompson, who claims he doesn't watch a ton of game tape, know all of this?
"It's hard to say," Thompson said. "I guess it's instinct."
Whatever the reason, having Thompson in its starting lineup is like having a coach on the field for Armwood (12-1), which plays at Miami Washington (10-0) in the state semifinals tonight. He makes all the defensive calls, and when things go awry, the coaches look to him for the answers. Essentially, he's the quarterback of the defense.
"We couldn't be where we are without him," coach Sean Callahan said.
Thompson, a 6-foot-1, 250-pound captain, is a three-year starter. During his stint, the Hawks are 41-1 on the field and have claimed two straight Class 4A championships. The defense, which has allowed 84 points this season, is a large part of that success.
Six opponents have been held to under 100 yards of offense. Two finished with negative yardage. Thompson, the program's all-time leading tackler, is tops this fall in total tackles (131) and stops behind the line of scrimmage (19), and ranks fourth in sacks. Even more impressive is this: Through 13 games, he has a grand total of five missed tackles.
"On the high school level, he's a very imposing linebacker," Callahan said. "He brings a big punch to the defense. He's a tough kid, a durable kid. He always finishes things properly and doesn't miss tackles. And he has a good nose for the ball."
Thompson admittedly isn't the fastest linebacker around (though he does run the 40-yard dash in a respectable 4.7 seconds), but coaches and teammates say he has an uncanny ability to be where he needs to be at all times.
"He has good agility and he reads (offenses) very well," defensive tackle Jake Cross said. "You can have a linebacker who runs a 4.5 or a 4.6 but they may not read as well. And because he can, he's going to get there faster."
The knack for making the big hit is another attribute for Thompson, who bench presses more than 400 pounds and is one of the county's strongest players. Most of his tackles pack quite a punch and several have knocked opposing players out of the game, Callahan said.
"The weight room has a lot to do with it," Thompson said.