Stoops names Starting QB

[TxStar61]

[size=+2] Sooners name starting QB [/size] [size=-1] 09:18 PM CDT on Thursday, August 25, 2005 [/size]

[size=-1] By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News [/size]

NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops gathered his team after Thursday's practice and announced that Paul Thompson will be the Sooners' starting quarterback against TCU on Sept. 3.

The players responded with spontaneous applause.

A hard-fought quarterback derby seems over for now. Thompson, a junior from Leander, Texas, has earned the opportunity to start, offensive coordinator Chuck Long said. But Stoops said Rhett Bomar, the feisty redshirt freshman from Grand Prairie, will play early in games, too.

That didn't seem to console Bomar, rated the top quarterback recruit in the country after throwing for more than 6,000 yards and 58 touchdowns in high school.

"What do you think my reaction is?," Bomar said. "I ain't happy or anything like that.

"They said they're going to get me in there," the 20-year-old added. "I think I've earned that right. ... I'm a competitor and a fiery guy. It's not over by a long stretch."

Thompson completed 56.2 percent of his passes for 453 yards in three scrimmages open to the public and media. He threw two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Bomar completed 49.2 percent of his passes for 359 yards. Bomar threw two touchdowns but also four interceptions.

Stoops said of Bomar: "We believe he deserves the opportunity to continue to grow in the system."

For Thompson, Thursday's announcement couldn't come soon enough. The 21-year-old opted to redshirt last season so he would have two years of eligibility remaining. Thompson has completed 31 of 47 passes for 319 yards in 14 career games, mostly as a backup. He's thrown four touchdown passes and two interceptions.

"There's definitely been a lot of he-said, she-said about what I'm doing," Thompson said. "So it's kind of good right now to be clear about where I'm at and where everybody knows I'm at so I can move forward and start producing for this team."

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[Dallas]

Paul deserves it. Neither he nor Bomar were distancing themselves from each other throughout all of the practices. Im not surprised to see Stoops go w/ the upperclassman. Paul has a fine arm and he can flat out run if he needs to. I still see Bomar pushing him through the year. Bomar is just to darned good to ride the pine. Good luck to you Paul but dont get to comfortable. If I know Stoops, he is going to keep your feet to the fire w/ Romo looking over your shoulder.

Boomer

 

[Dallas]

Paul deserves it. Neither he nor Bomar were distancing themselves from each other throughout all of the practices. Im not surprised to see Stoops go w/ the upperclassman. Paul has a fine arm and he can flat out run if he needs to. I still see Bomar pushing him through the year. Bomar is just to darned good to ride the pine. Good luck to you Paul but dont get to comfortable. If I know Stoops, he is going to keep your feet to the fire w/ Romo looking over your shoulder.

Boomer

Note to self : Do not use quick reply if you intend to edit later. I meant to say Bomar =) not Romo in that last line. Just goes to show we have to much Henson/Romo debate going on on this board.

 

[fishspill]

A couple of years ago I was half-jokingly and half-seriously yelling at my TV screen demanding that OU "Put in Paul Thompson!" as I watched a clearly gimped-up Jason White struggle early in his OU season. It got funnier each week as the year wore on and he led the team to a title game while winning the Heisman.

Now, many would say this was miscalculation. I know I do (in general).

However, there is a part of me that is intrigued by the idea of having had a different QB helming those squads.

I like Jason and all, he has a lot of character.

He also could barely move and was prone to folding in the face of the highest degree of pressure.

I'm hoping Thompson makes a good account of himself and that the coaches lay a little better path than they did in that "game" vs. USC.