How Longhorns Safety Jerrin Thompson Is Serving As Leader Of Secondary In Practice

Texas safety Jerrin Thompson loves watching films, but what was his favorite blockbuster of the summer? 

It's likely a tough call between the Red River Showdown and the Alabama game in Week 2. He's a different type of film guy than the everyday folks that reside in Austin. 

“That's one thing I take pride in: I love watching film and studying the game,” Thompson told reporters Wednesday morning. “I got a little theater in my apartment, so I get the guys over, especially the safeties, and we put on the big screen.”

Thompson, who enters his third season as the Longhorns starting safety, needs to be spending hours at home griding the tape. He's more than just the last line of defense these days for No. 12 Texas. Those around the building consider him a player-coach. 

What exactly does that entail? For starters, Thompson's job is to make plays in coverage, like ones that mirror his Alamo Bowl interception against No. 12 Washington last December in San Antonio. 

As for the coaching aspect, he's in charge of setting up the secondary defensive alignments during the pre-snap, ensuring everyone is lined up properly to make drives end in punts rather than points. 

“I need to be a leader out there and be a safety who puts guys around me where they need to be and make sure everybody's on the same page,” Thompson said. “In year three in the same defense, you kind of understand how (the coaches) want things to be done.”

Despite finishing 90th in pass coverage last season, there are high hopes for improvements with another year of experience. Texas returns players like Ryan Watts, Terrance Brooks and nickel defender Jahdae Barron. Not to mention, the Longhorns added veterans Jalen Catalon (Arkansas) and Gavin Holmes (Wake Forest) via the transfer portal, and added newcomers Malik Muhammad and Derek Williams in their latest recruiting class. 

Third-year coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski expects to see all four players on the field at some point this season. While Catalon and Holmes have starting reps, schemes differed in Fayetteville and Winston-Salem, respectively, compared to those taught in practice. 

It's why Thompson's film knowledge is considered an asset for the coaching staff and a positive toward defensive adjustments. 

"Leadership comes from guys doing what they're supposed to do and having the other guys trusting them," Kwiatkowski said at the start of fall camp. "(Jerrin) and those other guys are being selfless and pulling guys along with them through the grind.”

With the added responsibility comes added expectations for Thompson. That's never been a challenge for him, given his pride and willingness to spend a few hours with his nose in the playbook or film room just to finite the little details. 

One area Thompson hopes to see team improvement is takeaways. The Longhorns ranked 10th among Big 12 rosters with 1.1 takeaways last season. He was one of five defenders to finish with an interception and one of three returning defensive backs who made a play on the ball. 

Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Jaylan Ford led the team with four. Another year in coverage, Thompson hopes that multiple defensive backs will meet — or surpass — the total en route to a trip to the Big 12 title game come December. 

"On days we're not tackling, we're thinking about the ball," said Thompson. "Those are the best days to work the ball, when you're not taking anybody to the ground. Why not go after the ball? That's one area I think we've improved tremendously. 

"We're focusing on getting that ball back." 

A way to make sure turnovers come with ease? Film study; something Thompson plans on keeping a part of his game planning even after training camp comes to a close. 

Said Thompson: "You might see one way on the field, but when you watch the film, you see a different perspective of it... film is just another step, getting three, four, five steps ahead of the game." 

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