Forever a Gopher: Darrell Thompson
FOOTBALL | 8/15/2018 4:31:00 PM
Darrell Thompson is one of the all-time great Gophers. He is still the career record holder in rushing yards (4,654) and all-purpose yards (5,109). He went on to play for the Green Bay Packers for five seasons and has been working with Bolder Options, an organization focused on youth development, for the past 23 years. He has served as the Gopher Radio color analyst since 1998.
Thompson's wife, Stephanie, played volleyball at the University of Iowa from 1986-89. Their four children each went on to compete at the Division I collegiate level: Dominique (volleyball at University of Wisconsin), Indigo (volleyball at San Diego State University), Race (basketball at Indiana University and True (football at the University of Minnesota).
Gopher Sports: Can you first just talk about what you have been up to with Bolder Options and your radio work recently.
Darrel Thompson: I'll start with Bolder Options. We have boosted our outdoor programming so we have had about a half dozen kids go out to a ranch in Montana and we just had a bunch of kids go up to the boundary waters. That is really exciting and something that we are proud of. We try and give kids opportunities that they normally wouldn't have.
I switch over to gopher football mode with the radio when Big Ten media days hit. To see all the coaches and compare schedules, see who graduated and went to the NFL and hear about recruiting classes. Everyone feels good this time of year. Haven't lost a game yet, guys are always bigger, faster and stronger. I'm excited about football season.
GS: How did you first get involved with Bolder Options and how have you seen it grow?
DT: My best friend who was a captain on the team, Mac Stephens, introduced me and helped me get my start in the youth field. We started volunteering with kids around Minneapolis and during the offseason when I was training I would do things two or three times a week like midnight basketball or some football camps. Richard Coffey, Walter Bond and Kevin Lynch all came out and helped so the Gopher tradition is very rich with me and for guys giving back.
GS: You talked about some of your old Gopher teammates. What is your favorite memory when you look back on your football days?
DT: I think laughing, joking, walking to class, practice and hanging in the locker room all stick out. Some big wins like beating Michigan when I was a freshman and some other games as well. Those are the most fun memories.
GS: You have stayed around this area. What does the University of Minnesota mean to you?
DT: It means a great deal. It has been an honor having a son who is here now. We had four kids and I would have hoped that every single one of them would have been a Gopher and I had none of them as a Gopher until six months ago.
GS: All four of your children went Division I as athletes. What's that been like to go through the process four times and see them all succeed at that level?
DT: My wife was a Division I athlete. When we had kids we didn't think about it a lot. It has been a blessing and it's been fun and I think it's been beneficial to them. Although it's changed, we both understand the grind of a Division I athlete. I think things are better now. They eat better, train better and train smarter. There is far more academic support than my wife and I had. But with the recruiting process, we weren't in shock and awe when someone came in the room. I think that part was a blessing and it has been a blessing for our kids. We also have a family Snapchat group where we all talk and our kids hold each other accountable.
GS: You are at the top of the Gopher record book in many areas. One of those is in danger of being broken this year as Rodney Smith closes in on your all-purpose yards record. What's that say about what Rodney has done and what would you think if that record was broken this season?
DT: I'll be happy and sad at the same time. I have seen a lot activity on that social media wise. I have favored it and liked it. It's never long enough, you want a record to go on forever but nothing is going to last forever. The game has changed and the times are changing. He is a great back. He has great vision and is so versatile. Not only is he a good running back but he comes out of the backfield which makes him different that I was. I wasn't a nifty pass-catch type of back. He can return kickoffs as well and hopefully he gets an opportunity at the next level.
He is also a great young man. I like and respect that as well. I have one neat story about him. There is a former player who is a teacher in St. Paul and he asked former athletes to come out and speak during Black History Month. The only player that came from the University of Minnesota was Rodney. You get asked to do stuff all the time and I'm not knocking anyone else that wasn't there but Rodney was there. I was extremely impressed by him.
https://gophersports.com/news/2018/8/15/football-forever-a-gopher-darrell-thompson.aspx
FOOTBALL | 8/15/2018 4:31:00 PM
Darrell Thompson is one of the all-time great Gophers. He is still the career record holder in rushing yards (4,654) and all-purpose yards (5,109). He went on to play for the Green Bay Packers for five seasons and has been working with Bolder Options, an organization focused on youth development, for the past 23 years. He has served as the Gopher Radio color analyst since 1998.
Thompson's wife, Stephanie, played volleyball at the University of Iowa from 1986-89. Their four children each went on to compete at the Division I collegiate level: Dominique (volleyball at University of Wisconsin), Indigo (volleyball at San Diego State University), Race (basketball at Indiana University and True (football at the University of Minnesota).
Gopher Sports: Can you first just talk about what you have been up to with Bolder Options and your radio work recently.
Darrel Thompson: I'll start with Bolder Options. We have boosted our outdoor programming so we have had about a half dozen kids go out to a ranch in Montana and we just had a bunch of kids go up to the boundary waters. That is really exciting and something that we are proud of. We try and give kids opportunities that they normally wouldn't have.
I switch over to gopher football mode with the radio when Big Ten media days hit. To see all the coaches and compare schedules, see who graduated and went to the NFL and hear about recruiting classes. Everyone feels good this time of year. Haven't lost a game yet, guys are always bigger, faster and stronger. I'm excited about football season.
GS: How did you first get involved with Bolder Options and how have you seen it grow?
DT: My best friend who was a captain on the team, Mac Stephens, introduced me and helped me get my start in the youth field. We started volunteering with kids around Minneapolis and during the offseason when I was training I would do things two or three times a week like midnight basketball or some football camps. Richard Coffey, Walter Bond and Kevin Lynch all came out and helped so the Gopher tradition is very rich with me and for guys giving back.
GS: You talked about some of your old Gopher teammates. What is your favorite memory when you look back on your football days?
DT: I think laughing, joking, walking to class, practice and hanging in the locker room all stick out. Some big wins like beating Michigan when I was a freshman and some other games as well. Those are the most fun memories.
GS: You have stayed around this area. What does the University of Minnesota mean to you?
DT: It means a great deal. It has been an honor having a son who is here now. We had four kids and I would have hoped that every single one of them would have been a Gopher and I had none of them as a Gopher until six months ago.
GS: All four of your children went Division I as athletes. What's that been like to go through the process four times and see them all succeed at that level?
DT: My wife was a Division I athlete. When we had kids we didn't think about it a lot. It has been a blessing and it's been fun and I think it's been beneficial to them. Although it's changed, we both understand the grind of a Division I athlete. I think things are better now. They eat better, train better and train smarter. There is far more academic support than my wife and I had. But with the recruiting process, we weren't in shock and awe when someone came in the room. I think that part was a blessing and it has been a blessing for our kids. We also have a family Snapchat group where we all talk and our kids hold each other accountable.
GS: You are at the top of the Gopher record book in many areas. One of those is in danger of being broken this year as Rodney Smith closes in on your all-purpose yards record. What's that say about what Rodney has done and what would you think if that record was broken this season?
DT: I'll be happy and sad at the same time. I have seen a lot activity on that social media wise. I have favored it and liked it. It's never long enough, you want a record to go on forever but nothing is going to last forever. The game has changed and the times are changing. He is a great back. He has great vision and is so versatile. Not only is he a good running back but he comes out of the backfield which makes him different that I was. I wasn't a nifty pass-catch type of back. He can return kickoffs as well and hopefully he gets an opportunity at the next level.
He is also a great young man. I like and respect that as well. I have one neat story about him. There is a former player who is a teacher in St. Paul and he asked former athletes to come out and speak during Black History Month. The only player that came from the University of Minnesota was Rodney. You get asked to do stuff all the time and I'm not knocking anyone else that wasn't there but Rodney was there. I was extremely impressed by him.
https://gophersports.com/news/2018/8/15/football-forever-a-gopher-darrell-thompson.aspx
