Wabash athletics photo by Scott Olmstead

By Joe Sager
D3sports.com

Getting a chance to participate in the Manning Passing Academy is a dream come true for many young quarterbacks.

Wabash’s Liam Thompson has gone the last three summers.

“It’s been a huge blessing for me and an awesome opportunity for a lot of reasons. I definitely got to learn from the best,” he said. “There are not of quarterbacks able to say they’ve gone to that camp three times. I am really fortunate and grateful for those opportunities.”

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The camp, founded by former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, runs for four days in late June at Nicholls State University in Louisiana. Manning’s sons – Peyton, Eli and Cooper – serve as senior associate directors of the event, which draws the top quarterbacks in college football to serve as counselors for the junior high and high school quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends who attend the practices, film sessions and lectures.

So, how did a Division III quarterback get a chance to be a camp counselor among 40 or so of the nation’s top passers?

A Wabash alumnus contacted Archie Manning about Thompson, who made a solid impression with the Manning family.

“Archie invited me to come after my freshman year and I am grateful to get the opportunity. I at least didn’t get kicked out. I got my invite to come back two more times,” Thompson said with a laugh. “Archie has been incredible to me. In the season and offseason he’ll checking in on me and see how I am doing. He came out to our Monon Bell game two years ago. It’s been an incredible experience and it’s just surreal to have support from him and his whole family.”

Thompson, a four-year starter for Wabash, has enjoyed mentoring young players at the camp. And, he got a chance to attend the camp this summer with his younger brother, Eli, a junior wide receiver in high school.

“The majority of the camp is for the kids. It’s definitely development camp, but a lot of fun. I wish I would have gone as a kid,” he said. “We work them out all day and do some 7-on-7 stuff. It’s cool rolling through drills and making good connections with kids and their families. Overall, it’s a cool experience in coaching. It was one of my first experiences coaching. Now, I’ve done it in the summer in my spare time, helping out younger kids. It made me wonder where I may fit in as a coach some day because it’s something I really enjoy.”

Count Thompson among the players absorbing as much knowledge as possible. When not instructing campers, the college quarterback counselors had a chance to work out together.

“They bring in receivers from local schools – whoever can make it – for the workout,” he said. “Working out with some of those other college guys who have been doing it at the highest level or guys from past years now doing it in NFL, it’s cool to see and measure how you stand against them. They are all very competitive. It’s been really cool to see where you’re at, nationally, against guys who are doing it at the highest level. It gives you a lot of confidence, too, running around with those guys.”

In fact, Thompson may have picked up more off the field than he did on it.

“Outside of those workouts, it’s good conversations. You have the Mannings and they bring in some of the top quarterback coaches in the country, some very successful high school coaches, guys who have been in the NFL and all those other quarterbacks – there is a ton of good football minds,” he said. “Just hearing their perspective on things, how they approach the game and play the position – it’s all been a huge asset for me in understanding football, as a whole, and playing quarterback as well.

“On the physical side of things, it’s really cool seeing what other guys are doing to improve, especially the guys who are very talented. I like seeing what drills they are doing and learning about the things they do in the offseason or how they approach film study, leadership things with the team and decision making pre-snap and post-snap. Every time I have been to the camp, I just tried to take in as much as possible.”

Participating in the camp has allowed him to form lasting friendships, too, with a unique fraternity.

“The other college guys have been awesome. A lot of those guys have played against each other before. I haven’t always been in those circles. They have been really cool to me. It’s really cool to follow the college football season when you know some of those guys personally,” he said. “Having those relationships to follow up on is awesome. I can ask someone about a drill I saw them doing and ask what’s it’s designed to improve or things like that. It’s great to have those people in your life. We have great people at Wabash and great people I train with. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having too many people you’re comfortable with to bounce ideas off of and ask how they approach the game.”

Wabash coach Don Morel has been impressed with Thompson and knows the Manning Passing Academy has benefited his quarterback in many ways.

“Archie and Peyton both have been huge supporters of Liam. In fact, when Archie’s grandson, Arch, who was one of the top quarterback prospects in this recruiting class, was debating on where he’d go before he chose Texas, I jokingly told Archie, ‘Hey, we’d love to have him at Wabash.’ Archie said, ‘Arch said he wouldn’t go there. Liam is there!’ Liam has had that relationship go so well with the Mannings,” Morel said. “It’s hard not to like Liam. He’s the first guy at every practice and workout and the last guy to leave. He puts winning above himself. Everything you hear about a leader, that’s who he is. The standard he has set here will last for decades.

“Liam has gotten a ton from Archie and Peyton both – everything from finishing a throw to ball security. It’s been great. Liam has attended that camp three times. There are only a few people on this earth that got to go three times. You would not guess he is the one D-III guy at that camp, either. It’s been good for Liam to see some of the D-I guys who may be deficient in an area or two. If you’re going to be a great quarterback, you have to work through your deficiencies.”

It’s not just a one-way street, either. The bonds formed at that camp can benefit every quarterback.

‘There are guys I stay in touch with more than others. There are plenty of guys that I will hear from throughout the year. They won’t see the Wabash score on ESPN, but in following along, it’s not always about football, but about handling life and stuff,” Thompson said. “We’ll bounce things off people going through similar things. Even if we’re not playing the same teams, we’re not exchanging scouting info or anything – it’s just asking someone how things are going, how are they approaching things, what workouts are they doing in the offseason to sharpen certain areas. It’s just good to maintain those relationships. I love football and it’s great to be surrounded by these people all the time.”

The formula has worked for Thompson, already a two-time NCAC Offensive Player of the Year. He owns many of the Wabash passing records and should possess most of them by the time this season concludes. However, he’s more concerned about getting the Little Giants deep into the postseason in his final campaign.

“I try not to pay attention to those individual things as much as possible. At the end of the day, you will be remembered for how good your team was,” he said. “All the individual things are great. We had a pretty good year as an offense last year, but, overall, we are disappointed in how we didn’t finish things. We have a good chance on the table again. We feel good about the work we’ve put in. I think we have a great attitude and a lot of unselfish guys who want to win and do their role, whatever it is that week, to win the game. I am excited with where we are and where we’re going.

“We want to play our best football at the end of the year and that’s, hopefully, where we’re headed right now.”