Cedric Thompson is ready for his second season with the Minnesota Golden Gophers

Calipatria High graduate and University of Minnesota sophomore Cedric Thompson is starting off the football season this year as the starting safety.

“I’ll be at safety … I’m starting,” the 5-foot-11, 205-pound Thompson said. “I haven’t grown any since spring but I spent the summer here working out and I’m stronger.”

Thompson played a few games at cornerback last year, earning him a varsity letter.

Thompson was offered a scholarship at Minnesota based on his all-around athletic ability after being known for his offensive prowess at Calipatria. There, he rushed for 1,808 yards and 27 touchdowns on just 157 carries during his senior year.

“They liked me as an athlete and now I like defense more now than offense, but I understand why coach (David) Shaw put me more on offense (at Calipatria),” Thompson said.

In addition to his duties with the defense, Thompson will be on two special teams this year.

I’m starting on kick off and punts … I’m sniper, I’m the first one down the field and looking for somebody to hit … its fun,” Thompson said.

Minnesota is still in fall camp, with Thompson’s daily schedule a grinding dawn to dusk cycle.

“I wake up a 6 (a.m.) and get home at 9 (p.m.),” Thompson said. “We eat breakfast then I watch special teams’ films then positions films and we practice.”

And the routine continues throughout the rest of the day.

“Then lunch, then we watch the film from the morning practice, then practice, then eat dinner then we watch the film from afternoon practice,” Thompson said. “With all the filming, you can’t hide and the practices are intense and there are no classes right now so we’ll do this until our first game.”

Thompson is looking forward to first game of the season, against UNLV on Aug. 30 in Las Vegas, in a game that will hit close to home.

“It’s in the 70s (temperature) here now and it feels great and we leave the 29th,” Thompson said. “This is the first year we’ve played UNLV and they’ve warned everybody else about the heat but I have an advantage coming out of Calipat because I already know how it is.”

Last season, Thompson and the Gophers played at USC in Thompson’s native Los Angeles but this year will be special because he expects a lot of playing time.

“Coach Shaw will be there and so will Justin Hannon who also helped get me here and a lot of others,” Thompson said. “I’m not scheduled to be out to the West Coast again until my senior year unless we go to a Bowl game and I think we’ll make it to one the next two years.”