When Albemarle running back Jamal Thompson thanks his offensive line in interviews after games, it doesn’t have the reflexive, cliched feel to it that it sometimes does from other backs. Thompson genuinely cares about those five guys in front of him. He has conversations with them and he knows just how critical they are to what he does.
He’s also aware that like a lot of offensive line groups, they’re kind of a goofy crew.
“I love to talk to them everyday, we just argue,” Thompson said. “They sometimes tell me I don’t hit the hole hard, they just get on me.They’re all goofy. All they like to do is play and that’s helped us click a lot more. Jason Westberry, Jadiah (Trice), Ricky (Zeller) and Talik (Knight), they’re all some goof balls. Jorvin (Maupin) and Jakell (Johnson) just try and keep them together.”
Thompson isn’t the flashiest of running backs. In fact, when he shares a backfield with the dynamic J’Quan Anderson, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Thompson is there, pounding away.
But opponents know it and the stat sheet knows it. Thompson also knows when he wants to get upfield, the three-year contributor can rely on a group of young linemen that have helped power him to his first 1,000-yard season during a special senior campaign. During that year he’s been quick to credit all of his teammates.
“That’s a sign of Jamal’s maturity, he’s running for a lot of yards and making a lot of plays but I think more importantly as a young man he’s continued to grow,” said Albemarle coach Brandon Isaiah. “He’s truthfully made me a better coach. He’s the image of what this team is about. About hard work, about maturing and about persevering. Just to watch him go out and do the things he’s doing is really no surprise to me, but I’m just proud of him.”
In this historic Albemarle season, an 8-2 regular season run that continues with the school’s first home playoff game in decades Friday against Falls Church, Thompson has emerged as one of the area’s most reliable backs, a player who rarely dances and always hits the hole hard. Thompson just gets upfield and goes.
That approach may be a little bit of an underrated trait by fans, but it’s probably the most cherished trait among two groups — coaches and offensive linemen. There’s nothing more frustrating as a coach than a player who gives up four yards in an effort to get 40 when you’re trying to control the clock and keep the chains moving. There’s also nothing more frustrating as an offensive lineman than when you block down well or reach a defensive end or execute a double team and the running back doesn’t follow the plan.
That’s rarely, if ever, a problem with Thompson.
“I love it, he sees the hole and just puts his foot in the ground and just goes,” Johnson said. “I can always count on him to get positive yards. If I open the hole I know he’ll get what he can.”
That’s exactly the catalyst that Albemarle’s offense needs too.
“It’s easy, as soon as he gets rolling it just clicks. It’s a great feeling when you have someone like that in the backfield,” Maupin said.
The story of Thompson’s breakout campaign is really the story of an offensive line that’s melded together in front of him. There isn’t a single senior in the bunch, but they’ve grown up quickly, paving the way for nearly 4,000 yards of total offense. Thompson’s relentless support and investment in that line has been a factor in building their cohesion and confidence.
“I can’t say enough great things about Jamal,” said Albemarle offensive line coach John Garwell. “The entire offseason he just made it about ‘I’m going to get better’ and he did that. He is always about giving them a lot of credit even when it wasn’t perfect and building them up. (Thompson) is a great kid.”
As the line’s confidence has grown, they’ve become a tighter, more cohesive unit.
“The chemistry between all of them is really, really good, they genuinely like each other,” Garwell said. “Unfortunately I’m part of the group text sometimes and I see some of that but it’s good stuff.”
Garwell has played a big role in their development according to Isaiah, working with them over the summer to develop and helped bring them together. He’s also managed to develop some even younger players like Zeller who is contributing as just a sophomore.
It’s a group that actually has a complicated job because blocking for the quick-hitting Thompson on the ground is one thing, but when Anderson drops back, he’s a very different threat. Anderson will extend plays, forcing the Patriots’ line to keep blocking for an extended time as he looks to make something happen.
“It actually makes it easier because everyone is looking for him and they don’t see us,” Maupin said. “That’s when you get that pancake.”
Pancakes aside, an offensive line without a single senior playing this well is a pretty incredible feat. It’s also reflective of a team-wise sense of ownership that’s leading to bigger and better things for Albemarle.
“Last year we were struggling with ‘we’ve got to block better, we’ve got to do this, we’ve got to do that’ but this year as a team, everybody started to own their role in everything,” Isaiah said. “There’s been so much respect developing among them…it’s just a fun thing to see.”
That’s certainly clear among that offensive line and the mutual respect that has blossomed between them and Thompson. Even if they are a little goofy.
