Brenen Thompson arrived at SEC Media Days confident, calm, and with an attitude that hinted, ‘I’ve got something to say.’ His move from Oklahoma to Mississippi State wasn’t just another name in the transfer market; it was one of the season’s most surprising SEC switch-ups. And let’s be real, this isn’t your average portal bounce story. OU’s offense struggled last year, Thompson struggled with injuries, and Starkville isn’t the first place people think of. So the huge question swimming around everywhere is, ‘Why now?’

Mississippi State is heading into yet another year of rebuild mode, studying plans, coaching staffs, and roster overhauls. Thompson, meanwhile, was making flashes work at Oklahoma but never had a complete runway to take off. He showed glimpses of what he could be, but the situation wasn’t stable enough to let him cook. And now that he’s landed at Mississippi, people have been guessing for months and tossing around all kinds of theories, but Thompson hasn’t really opened up about what led to the decision. Until now.

Speaking to the media, Thompson finally shared the genuine reasons behind the move. “I just felt like (God) was really pulling me to Mississippi State, and I wanted to finish my career with a coach I really trust,” he said. The coach in question? Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State’s new head coach and Thompson’s former offensive coordinator at OU. “The familiarity with Coach Lebby made it an easy decision,” he added. Thompson had already spent a year in Lebby’s system at OU, where he averaged over 21 yards per catch, and inking back up with a coach who knows how to use him just made sense.

Thompson was derailed by injuries in 2023, but still had 241 yards and two touchdowns on a mere seven receptions, averaging more than 34 yards per catch. In 2024, he remained healthier, 11 games (10 starts), with a total of 19 receptions for 230 yards and two additional touchdowns. Keep in mind, OU’s passing attack ranked a mere 121st in the country (175.8 yards/game). Thompson was one of the few consistent elements of that swirling offense. This year, he’s supposed to take that consistent spark and channel it into reliable production at Mississippi State, where wide receivers are a hot commodity.

What did Thompson learn from a tough 2024 season in Oklahoma?

Thompson’s stint in Oklahoma was a rollercoaster. He began the 2023 season battling through a lingering ankle problem, back for about half the season. At OU, he was among several wideouts to remain relatively healthy, even as teammates such as Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony, Jalil Farooq, and Jayden Gibson spent time missing time. Thompson’s brilliant performance charged the Sooners to a 10-3 record. He was decent in the 2024 season as well, but Oklahoma’s record dipped to 6-7.

It was a rough season for the Oklahoma offense as they finished No. 121 out of 134 FBS teams in passing offense (175.8 yards per game). But Thompson still took out some positives from the ‘not-so-good’ season and said, “I feel like last year has helped me more than any other year in college football, just having to lead those young guys,” Thompson said. “Not everybody takes the same leadership. You can lead the same. It’s all relationships. I want to get the best out of everyone, that’s all I want,” he said.

Now Thompson enters Starkville prepared to be ‘the guy,’ or at least a guy who sticks. A grizzled veteran who understands the way it works and can serve to guide a young receiver corps. He’s not going into a vacant room. He’s going into a program begging for stability, and he’s already preaching work every day in the spring practices. “It’s all relationships. I want to get the best out of everybody,” Thompson said. That’s leadership on and off the stat sheet. The Bulldogs’ offense consists of players like Blake Shapen, their star QB, Kelley Jones, an experienced CB, and others. So, it’s up to Thompson how he gels with Mississippi’s offense as quickly as possible.