Published: August 31, 2007 12:11 am      

Atmosphere different, but results the same for Bomar

Kats quarterback throws for one TD, runs for another in SHSU debut

For the first time in nearly two years, Rhett Bomar took the field Thursday as quarterback for a Division I football team. Just like Bomar did for Oklahoma in the 2005 Holiday Bowl, he led his team to victory.

This time around, it was Bomar leading the Bearkats past Angelo State.

Bomar looked like he hadn’t missed a game, completing 16 of 24 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown. Bomar also rushed eight times for 24 yards and another score.

“It was different getting back out there in that situation again,” Bomar said after the Bearkats hung on for a 17-13 win. “It was great. I can’t explain it. It’s been a while since I played. I’m a competitive person and I just miss it.”

For Bomar, the atmosphere was different in Bowers Stadium than that of playing in front of the fans from Norman, Okla.

“It was different, of course. Everybody in their right mind knows that,” Bomar said. “It wasn’t playing in front of 85,000 people, but I thought we had a good crowd and we had a lot of supporters out there.

“The atmosphere was different, but you can’t get caught up in that. You just have to go out there and play football.”

Thursday’s game not only marked the beginning of the football season for the Bearkats, it also opened a new chapter in Bomar’s life.

“I’ve moved on completely from that,” Bomar said. “The past is the past and I’m looking forward to the future. Now that I have this game under my belt, people can talk about Sam Houston.”

With the focus solely on Bearkats football, Bomar hopes to lead Sam Houston State where previous transfer quarterbacks have. Josh McCown guided the 2001 Bearkats to the national quarterfinals, and Dustin Long led Sam Houston State within one victory of the national championship game in 2004.

“I think we have a good team. We have the talent to be successful and to be an explosive offense,” Bomar said.

During his freshman year at Oklahoma, Bomar passed for 2,018 yards. Now at SHSU, Bomar is focused on only one statistic: winning the game.

“I just wanted to win,” Bomar said. “I’m not a big stats guy. I don’t know how many completions I had or how many times I ran the ball. If it helps us win the game, then I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“I made mistakes. I’m not perfect. It was my first time back. I can correct those. We got to win. My number one goal is to win every game.”