A little over a year ago, the University of Tennessee’s talented cornerback, Bryce Thompson, was in hot water when a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence sidelined his promising career. Fans wondered if his future would be hampered by character issues. Despite some backlash, Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt determined that suspending Thompson for the first two games of the 2019 season would be sufficient, as long as the sophomore defensive back learned from the experience and kept his nose clean. It didn’t take long for Thompson to prove to his coach and team that he could walk the straight and narrow.
Unfortunately, without Thompson, Tennessee’s secondary struggled mightily in those games to a disappointing 0-2 start. When UT welcomed him back, it took time for his performance to live up to the prior year’s accomplishments. Yet, Thompson began to once again prove his leadership abilities and return to his status as a top defensive back, a position in which Pruitt takes great pride. Bryce was a major catalyst for the six-game win streak that wowed fans to close the season. This was highlighted by a three- interception performance in a win against UAB.
Fast forward to the current preseason where Bryce has established himself as a team leader and one of the best defensive backs in the SEC. He recently earned preseason 3rd team All-SEC honors for his play, and there have been no further incidents off the field that might cause his coaches and teammates not to respect and admire him.
Interestingly, the Irmo, South Carolina native is about to face his home-state university in the first game of his junior season. The significance of playing the Gamecocks is not lost on Thompson, and he is undoubtedly going to bring extra excitement to Saturday night’s battle. Thompson is a fierce competitor and is going to love playing against an SC Program which, at one time, he expected to be playing for. As Vol fans anxiously await the start of the SEC college football season, Bryce Thompson is one of many reasons that their hopes could be realized in the coming months. Vol Nation can’t help being enthusiastic about his future and the future of the team overall.
It should be a lesson to every young man that puts on the pads…..don’t ever let one mistake define you.
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