ASU ties run deep with local offensive lineman Frank Thompson
Throughout the years there have been several ASU legacy prospects the Sun Devils have recruited, but seldom have we’ve seen one such recruit, as in offensive lineman Frank Thompson, who had a relative play in Tempe 70 years ago. This is why the offer extended to the Peoria Liberty standout meant just a little more than just presenting an opportunity to play for the home team.
“My great-grandfather Dick Law played for ASU in 1949,” Thompson said. “I was born and raised in Phoenix. I’ve been an ASU fan ever since I was little really. I was born into a family of ASU fans, and have been a die-hard ASU fan my whole life. My uncle was in the Navy for 22 years, and learning about what Pat Tillman did…that to me is just pretty legit. Just walking away from football to serve your country, that’s pretty selfless to me.”
“Watching ASU when I was younger, I was always very impressed with them up front just even as a little kid. When I found out I was going to be a lineman my whole life and play in college as they have…I was blown away honestly. Watching them last year, I really like their run game. I’m an inside zone, strap, power-counter kind of guy, and I think ASU does that really well.”
“Getting this offer is really amazing.”
Thompson perfectly capitalized on a strong performance in ASU’s Big Man competition last Tuesday, to have Sun Devil offensive line coach, Dave Christensen, invited him to the school’s Big Man Camp held at Sun Devils Stadium last night, an event that immediately preceded his scholarship offer.
“Going into the Big Man Camp I definitely thought that there was a good chance I get an offer if I just went out there and performed,” Thompson admitted. “I haven’t talked much to coach Christensen before the Big Man competition last Tuesday. He saw me doing pretty well in my one-on-one’s, so he talked to me a little bit more. Then the day after I called him and he said ‘I want to get you out in front of some of the other coaches,’ and I told him I’ll be there on Sunday.
“So, I definitely thought that there was a good chance that if I just performed on Sunday then I could walk out with an offer. He said that he liked the control I had and just the way that I can use my leverage from wrestling. He said that he could tell that I was a wrestler just by my control and hips.”
“Coach Christensen said that I was definitely going to play inside. Played mostly right Huard at Liberty and a little tackle. He said that he'd like to train me how to play center. I know I would do well there with my strength, I put up good numbers in the weight room, my leverage and, the mentality that I just want to hit people. If you’re going to play inside then you definitely need to have a mentality that you just want to go out there and just hit.”
The lineman reported personal bests in the weight room of 385 lbs. benching, 315 on the power clean and a squatting personal best of 615 lbs.
“My parents didn’t really expect me to be squatting up in the 600’s just as a 16-year-old,” Thompson stated.
NAU is the only team that has offered Thompson to date, and schools such as Arizona and Boise State where the lineman attended their respective camps have been showing strong interest as of late and could be future scholarship offers.
But there’s little doubt as to which school is near and dear to Thompson’s heart.
“You could definitely say ASU is my favorite school,” Thompson remarked. “This is my hometown and I’ve definitely just grown up just loving ASU football. That school is definitely family, and going there is just continuing that legacy. Obviously, it’s an excellent school, they’re number one in innovation. They have an excellent kinesiology and business program, which is what I’m interested in currently, and then the coaching staff seems like an excellent staff.”
Could Thompson’s timeline for a decision take place sooner rather than later?
“My dad’s on a business trip right now until Wednesday,” Thompson said, “and we’re going to sit down and have a discussion about my recruiting. I think that it’s a possibility that I could decide this early in the process but I’d obviously have to talk to my dad about that.
“I obviously I got to look at academics, and set myself up for a good career, and then the school would have to be a good fit. I definitely think that they have a good football program, so that’s definitely a factor that would pull me there. I want a good S&C coach so I can maintain my strength, have good conditioning and definitely improve on my speed and lateral.”
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