By John Shinn
Oklahoma decided who its starting quarterback will be against TCU. But that’s not to say competition at the position won’t continue.
Thursday, the Sooners announced Paul Thompson will be under center when they open the season Sept. 3. They also said redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar would see time behind center.
“We’re going to start Paul Thompson because we feel that he has earned it to this point,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “They’ve both competed well together and have remained supportive of one another for the team. That matters to me first.
“We do believe that Rhett has played well enough and is close enough that we intend to get him snaps early in games as well as late in games. I’m not going to be exact on that. I can’t be today. That will be determined by how both of them play.”
Thompson and Bomar have battled for the position since spring practice began in March. The competition continued throughout the summer and into preseason practice.
In the end, the coaching staff felt Thompson had been the more consistent performer.
Offensive coordinator Chuck Long said he used eight scrimmages dating back to the spring to determine the starter.
“Everything was laid out to them today and we showed them that entire body of work,” Long said. “Paul earned the right to be the starting quarterback against TCU and we’ll go from there.”
In the Sooners’ three open scrimmages, Thompson was 41-for-73 for 453 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Bomar was 30-for-61 for 359 yards and two touchdowns, along with five interceptions.
Thompson and Bomar were informed in separate meetings earlier in the day. The team was informed at the end of practice. The decision left the two quarterbacks in different moods.
“I am just excited and ready to get on the field and make some plays,” said Thompson, who has completed 31 of 47 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns, with two interceptions in 14 career games.
“(Coach Long) said it was the little things and that they liked my leadership, which is not taking anything away from (Bomar),” Thompson said. “They just felt like, at this time, I would be a better fit for this offense.”
Bomar, the highly touted recruit from Grand Prairie, Texas, was disappointed. He was the most sought-after quarterback in the nation coming out of high school and believes himself ready to lead offense.
He vowed to make the most of the chances he’s awarded.
“I’m a competitor. I want to play,” he said. “I didn’t come here to sit the bench and I don’t plan on it. I’m going to go out there and do my thing when I get my opportunity.”
How many opportunities he gets is the question. Neither Stoops nor Long would say how much they expect Bomar to play.
“Don’t ask us right now when this is going to happen,” Long said. “We’re going to go into each game with a plan and that plan may change from game to game. We can’t pinpoint when he’ll get in, but our plan right now is to get them (both) in there.”
Game experience is the only thing missing from the quarterback debate. Neither has played a meaningful down of college football and that could still play a major part in deciding if Thompson remains the starter.
“Games are the final grade,” Long said. “And they are a big one. We’ll see how it all plays out.”
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
