Caleb Williams is headed elsewhere. Is this a chance for Casey Thompson to return to the Big 12 with a rival in 2022?
Williams announced Monday via Twitter he would be entering the transfer portal after one season. The freshman from D.C. graded out as one of the top quarterback recruits during the 2021 cycle and was expected to be the long-term answer under the direction of new coach Brent Venables.
“I think we all come to college to find our own path and prepare for the future," Williams tweeted. "I came to Oklahoma with a game plan, but with all of the recent changes, I need to figure out what is the right path for me moving forward."
In 11 games for the Sooners, Williams threw for 1,916 yards and scored 27 total touchdowns against four interceptions. In his final start at OU, Williams completed 77.4 percent of his passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns on the way a 47-32 Alamo Bowl victory over Oregon.
Venables needs a quarterback and fast. Entering the offseason, Oklahoma only has freshman Ralph Rucker with reps on staff. He completed a pair of passes for 20 yards in the team's 76-0 win over Western Carolina.
It remains a mystery if the Sooners would be interested in Thompson, who entered the transfer portal last month, but there are ties. Thompson, who will have two years of eligibility remaining, is a native of Oklahoma City.
Going through the recruiting process, Thompson narrowed his options down to Texas and OU. His father, Charles, started at quarterback for the Sooners under Barry Switzer, leading the program to a 1987 national championship Orange Bowl matchup against Miami.
For his career, Charles Thompson threw for 1,555 yards and 19 touchdown passes. He also tallied 1,555 rushing yards and 19 more scores with his legs.
Thompson played in all 12 games for the Longhorns in 2021 while making 10 starts. He threw for a Big 12-leading 24 touchdown passes to go along with 2,113 yards and nine interceptions.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian announced prior to the season finale victory over Kansas State that the quarterback position would be an "open competition" following the year's conclusion. The Longhorns went on a six-game losing streak under Thompson, who would consistently unravel along with his teammates in the second half of games.
Texas finished 5-7 in Sarkisian's first season. The Horns are expected to have a three-way battle between veteran Hudson Card, Ohio State transfer Quinn Ewers and 2022 recruit Maalik Murphy.
Thompson finished his three years at Texas with 2,422 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a passer rating of 161.9.
The Sooners, who currently are ranked 16th on SI99's updated recruiting rankings, added quarterback Nick Evers from Flower Mound, Texas during the Early Signing Period. Evers is the No. 8 rated quarterback on SI99's list and the No. 65 overall player.
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