This past season, the Sam Houston State football team was making headlines across the country, and it had nothing to do with what was happening on the field.
All the attention swirled around former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar and his decision to transfer to SHSU on Aug. 28 after being dismissed from the Sooners program because of an NCAA violation.
He and former Sooners teammate J.D. Quinn were dismissed from Oklahoma on Aug. 3 after a university investigation revealed both had received pay for hours not worked at a Norman, Okla., car dealership.
After looking around some, Bomar decided to go the Division I-AA route because he would have had to sit out a year on top of the suspension he received had he transferred to another I-A school.
“It was a tough decision. I considered everything — Division I, Division I-AA and things like that — but based on waiting for the NCAA to make a decision, I just wanted to play some football this year,” Bomar said the day he enrolled at SHSU.
Bomar considered transferring to several universities, including the University of Houston, Stephen F. Austin and North Texas, but in the end SHSU was the school that landed the nation’s top recruit in 2004.
Unfortunately for the Bearkats, Bomar never stepped on the field this fall because the NCAA suspended him for the season on Nov. 1. The NCAA reinstatement staff ruled that Bomar had to sit out a season, lose a year of eligibility and pay back thousands of dollars in improper pay as part of being reinstated.
“I am happy to get this behind me,” Bomar said in a prepared statement released by the SHSU athletics department. “I look forward to having the opportunity to represent Sam Houston State.
“Right now my top priority is seeing this team win some football games. This decision today will help take the focus off me and put the focus on the team.”
Bomar was a top-rated recruit out of Grand Prairie High School. He took a redshirt in 2004, then started Oklahoma’s final 11 games in 2005 and set a Sooner freshman passing record with 2,018 yards. He also threw 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, guiding Oklahoma to six wins over the final seven games, including a Holiday Bowl victory over Oregon.
Another factor that drew Bomar to Huntsville was the Bearkats’ successful history of transfer quarterbacks. Josh McCown left Southern Methodist and led the Kats to a Southland Conference title in 2001. He also was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals and is currently playing for the Detroit Lions.
Dustin Long also led SHSU to a conference title and into the semifinals of the I-AA playoffs in 2004. He set an SLC single-season record for passing yards (4,588) and touchdowns (39) in his only season with the Bearkats.
Chris Chaloupka transferred from Oklahoma State and was named Southland Conference Player of the Year in 1999.
“You look at (Long and McCown) and see all the success they had in just one year,” Bomar said. “I could play this year and then would have two more years at Sam. They had a lot of success, and it was in basically this same system. That was something I looked at when I was making my decision.”
Even though Bomar didn’t get to play in 2006, he got a lot of valuable work in during practice. He had the chance to learn the SHSU system and become familiar with his teammates and coaching staff.
Now, he just has to wait until spring drills roll around to get his chance to lead the Bearkat football squad.
“Rhett has fit in well with the team here at Sam Houston,” Bearkats coach Todd Whitten said after receiving news of the NCAA’s suspension. “Obviously, we would have liked for him to be able to play in games this season. But with his experience working with the squad this fall and spring training ahead next year, we look forward to having him as a Bearkat for the next two seasons.”
Local Sports
Top 10 Sports Stories of 2006: Bomar becomes a Bearkat
Dismissed from Oklahoma, talented QB finds new home in Huntsville
- Local Sports
-
- Tommy Vaughn
-
Plenty of interesting stories to follow at the 2010 National Finals Rodeo
When the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo begins tonight in Las Vegas, the biggest story line will be Trevor Brazile of Decatur, a cowboy who stands on the brink of clinching a record eighth world all-around title.
-
Lady Hornets set up showdown with Caney Creek
The Lady Hornets had to fight tooth and nail Tuesday night, but the Huntsville girls volleyball team came away with a four-set victory on the road at Summer Creek.
The Lady Hornets evened their district record at 4-4 by handing the Lady Bulldogs a 25-23, 25-18, 23-25 and 26-24 setback. -
Anderson-Shiro downs Lady Dogs in three sets
The Lady Bulldogs played well at times Tuesday, just not well enough to knock off the team that is battling state-ranked Centerville for the top spot in District 23-2A.
-
Fantasy Focus: Coaching decisions, game-time decisions and byes
There is nothing worse than getting up on Sunday morning to set your fantasy football lineup and seeing one of your star players listed as a game-time decision. That was the dilemma for owners of Andre Johnson on Sunday.
-
Home, sweet home
For two weeks now, the Bulldogs have had to stew over their previous performance, an embarrasing 49-6 shellacking against Franklin. New Waverly certainly doesn’t want its worst loss in nearly two years to be the lasting impression heading into district play.
-
Huntsville coaches keep pushing
Tackle better and cut down on turnovers. That was the big emphasis last week in the Hornets’ district opener against Summer Creek.
Huntsville’s young bunch succeeded on both accounts. -
Southland Notebook: ‘We want to finish this week right’
Sam Houston State head coach Willie Fritz called the Bearkats into a huddle at the end of Thursday afternoon’s workout at Bowers Stadium.
-
Lady Lions look tired, but still win in three sets
Maybe the Lady Lions were a little tired after winning the silver bracket at the Living Stones varsity volleyball tournament in Alvin over the weekend. But Alpha Omega Academy head coach Talara Cox felt her squad could have played a lot better Tuesday night.
Regardless, the Lady Lions took care of business, and despite a sluggish second game, cruised to a 25-15, 26-24, 25-16 victory over Northeast Christian Academy of Kingwood. Alpha Omega improved to 3-2 in district action with the win. -
Kats come to life
The Bearkats are far from a finished product, but they sure looked like it Saturday night.
Sam Houston State electrified the crowd with explosive plays in the passing and running games and the defense brought the heat as the Bearkats whipped the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb 30-14 at Bowers Stadium. - More Local Sports Headlines
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
