Bulldog receiver Brenen Thompson feeling right at home in Starkville

When Brenen Thompson entered the transfer portal after the 2024 season, his goals for finding a new school were rather simple. He wanted to find a place he fit from a culture standpoint and also find an offense that could maximize his talents in the passing game.

The former Oklahoma transfer met both of those goals when he transferred to Mississippi State and is reaping the benefits these days. Thompson currently leads the team in receiving yards (378) and receiving touchdowns (4). He also has a rushing touchdown and ranks second on the team with 22 receptions.

Earlier this week Thompson met with the media to discuss his time so far in Starkville while gearing up for the second half of the season:

Q: How did it feel to get back out there last Saturday?
Thompson: It felt great. Obviously, just trying to compete every day for this team and this University, so it felt great.

Q: What did you guys see reviewing the Texas A&M film?
Thompson: I think we’ve all just got to get on the same page. I think that’s where it starts. It’s going to start in practice. It’s going to start obviously with the quarterback room but then it’s also going to start with us on the outside and making plays when it’s there.

Q: What’s the relationship like with Blake Shapen when it seems he is taking on too much of the blame for a loss?
Thompson: Yeah, I think our goal as a wide receiver room is almost to put him in in a position where every ball he throws is catchable. I don’t think he throws one bad ball. I don’t think he has his whole career. So it’s our job to catch it. It’s our job to make him look good.

Q: What’s your plans for the open date this weekend?
Thompson: Fish a lot. Kind of get my mind away from football for a little bit. Kind of rejuvenate and get ready to go for the back half of the season.

Q: Yourself and Anthony Evans have already outdone the production y’all had at previous schools. What’s it been like seeing your hard work pay off this year?
Thompson: God is good to me. Obviously, it’s been a long journey, especially mine. It hasn’t been easy. But to get to this point now after the last three, four years, it’s awesome.

Q: You seem to fit well in this culture and you do a lot of stuff with Mossy Oak. How’s it been making yourself part of this community?
Thompson: Obviously, you know camo, Mossy Oak, hunting, fishing, all of that kind of stuff, the blue-collar mindset, all of that is here in Starkville. So it is right up my alley. It fits me well. Everybody is so genuine, so true. And so this community not only supports it but they love it as well. So it’s just an awesome place.

Q: Tell us about the boat you bought recently.
Thompson: Yeah, a boat is something I kind of wanted for a long time. Obviously, there’s a lot of bodies of water that are unfishable without a boat. So that was just kind of a childhood dream of mine, to be honest, to get a boat. I was blessed to do that and Phillip and his crew kind of hooked me up, and what an opportunity. It’s awesome.

Q: What do you see from Ayden Williams that can make him a weapon in the offense?
Thompson: He’s a great player. He’s been an amazing player since he got here, and I think the whole team sees that. So my whole thing for the rest of the guys is whoever is in there, we’ve got to play.

Whether that’s the ones, twos, or threes we’ve got to be able to go. We’ve got to be able to play. I came out last week and we have Glove (Jaron Glover) go and Ayden go. I think he’s just as good as anybody else on this team. He makes some really big plays, I don’t know if I catch that ball he caught over the middle the other day. That was impressive. But an amazing player, a great kid.

Q; With Fluff Bothwell out, talk about the depth in that running back room.
Thompson: I think that running back room is going to be just fine with or without Fluff. Obviously, losing him hurts but there’s multiple guys whether it’s X (Xavier Gayten), (Davon) Booth or whoever that is in that running backs room, they’re going to make us run, for sure.