Rhett Bomar focusing on future with Sam Houston State
9/21/2007 1:00:00 AM | Football
After 18 months, the junior from Grand Prairie is back playing football and excited about it.
“It was great to get back into a game situation,” Bomar said after the Bearkats' 2007 season opener against Angelo State . “I can't really explain it. I'm a competitive person and it's been awhile. I missed it. After I got hit the first time, that kind of woke me up. I haven't been hit in awhile.”
In the Angelo State season opener, Bomar started with an incomplete pass, then an interception. But he bounced back, completing his next 10 passes in a row. He ended the game with 204 yards passing including a 64-yard touchdown strike.
“You can simulate all you want in practice, but it's not the same. Coming out and throwing an interception, that wasn't too good. But stuff like that happens and you have to come back from that. The offense responded,” Bomar said. “We won our first two games and came close to beating a good North Dakota State team on their home turf where they haven't lost in three years. We've got a good team and have the opportunity to accomplish some things.”
In his first three games, Bomar has completed 69 of 111 passes for 819 yards and eight touchdowns. He also has rushed 30 times for 158 yards and two scores. He leads the Southland Conference in total offense. His 322.7 total offense yards per game stands sixth in the nation in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Bomar transferred to Sam Houston State from the University of Oklahoma where he passed for 2,018 yards and 10 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. He was the "Most Valuable Player" in the Holiday Bowl victory over Oregon. After missing the 2006 season due to NCAA sanctions, he is glad to be back in action.
“You know, it's been all right,” Bomar said. “I've met some great people at Sam Houston and have some great friends down here. The coaches are great. The players are great, and they've accepted me really well.
“When everything happened at Oklahoma, I first looked at a couple of I-A schools, but I would have had to sit out another season. That meant I would have only gotten to play two of my five years. When I visited Sam Houston, I liked the coaches and the guys here. People like coach (Todd) Whitten, athletic director Bobby Williams, and academic coordinator Chris Thompson, they're sincere and they care. They wanted what was best for me as a person, not just as a player.”
When
Bomar arrived on campus late last August, he took some snaps in
practice, but he was limited to working with the Bearkats' second team
because it wasn't clear if he was going to be ruled eligible to play.
With just a few games left, the NCAA finally ruled he had to wait until
2007 before he could officially suit up for SHSU, so he finished the
season as the scout team quarterback.
“In the fall I did get a lot of reps, but it was with the second team
most of the time,” Bomar said. “My main priority during the spring was
to get my timing down.”
Bomar doesn't look backwards any more.
“I've moved on completely,” Bomar said. “I don't let any one talk to me about the past. The past is past. I look forward to the future. Now that the season has started, people can talk about Sam Houston. The focus should be on this team and what we can accomplish this year.”
The quarterback's teammates agree.
“Far as I can tell, Rhett has put the past behind me. He's just ready to play football,” Bearkat senior tight end Blake Martin said. The preseason All-America candidate is Bomar's top target with 15 catches this year. “Rhett is a great player and just wants to get on the field and help us win football games.”
Bomar has improved with each game. His best performance so far came in the loss to No. 4 ranked North Dakota State . He passed for 358 yards and three scores and ran for 103 more yards and a two-point conversion to rally Sam Houston from a 34-24 deficit to take a 38-34 lead with 26 seconds remaining.
Unfortunately, the Bison drove 54 yards in 20 seconds to score the game winner for a 41-38 victory.
“It was a tough loss, but we've got a lot more games to play,” Bomar said. “I can still achieve my goals in the future of going to the NFL and everything like that here. It's not impossible. I may have had to take a detour, but it didn't affect my talents.”
Offensive tackle Brandon Hale played with Bomar at Grand Prairie . The two know each other well.
“It is exiting to watch Rhett show the world what he has to offer,” Hale said. “He made a mistake. That's over. I'm proud of him for keeping his head up. We're ready for him to show the Southland Conference what he is made of.”
Bearkat head coach Todd Whitten is excited about his quarterback.
“I think Rhett is coming along nicely.The great thing about Rhett is
his ability to extend the play and make something happen every down,”
Whitten said. “He is able to make plays with his feet and throwing the
ball. He is really a good athlete and we are thankful to have him.”
Sam Houston State has a history of succeeding with transfer quarterbacks. Three have gone on to win Southland Conference “Player of the Year” awards.
Chris Chaloupka transferred from Oklahoma State in 1999 and passed for 2,503 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Josh McCown came from SMU in 2001 and led the Bearkats to a Southland title and the NCAA playoff quarterfinals. McCown passed for 3,481 yards and 32 touchdowns, was drafted by the Cardinals, and now plays for the Raiders.
Dustin Long transferred from Texas A&M to throw a Southland record 4,588 yards and 39 touchdowns. He led Sam Houston to another league title, the NCAA semifinals and a No. 3 final national ranking.
AUDIO OF RHETT BOMAR'S TELECONFERENCE WITH BIG 12 MEDIA SEPT. 24
AUDIO EXCERPTS FROM RHETT BOMAR'S INTERVIEW IN APRIL ON ESPN "OUTSIDE THE LINES"
AUDIO EXCERPT FROM RHETT BOMAR'S POST GAME INTERVIEW FOLLOWING THE SEASON OPENERINDIVIDUAL GAME-BY-GAME RUSHING & PASSING PERFORMANCES
