Published: April 21, 2007 12:46 am      

Kats plan on airing it out in Orange-White game today

Coach hopes team can cap offseason without any injuries

After weeks of anticipation, Sam Houston State football fans will finally get a chance to see what will be in store for opposing teams when the 2008 season kicks off next fall.

The annual Orange and White game will be held today at 10 a.m. at Bowers Stadium as the Bearkats wrap up spring practice. SHSU has managed to stay relatively healthy so far this spring, and head coach Todd Whitten would like that to be the case heading into the summer break.

“(The game) is exciting for the players and the fans. That is really why we do it,” Whitten said. “I just hope we get through it healthy. As a coach it always makes you kind of nervous. But this is one last time to see our guys get out and play more of a game-type situation. It’s good for them to get out and compete, and I think we will have a lot of fun.”

Much of the attention today will be centered around the offense. With Oklahoma transfer Rhett Bomar moving into the starting quarterback role, the Bearkats have potential to be an explosive unit.

Bomar, along with the rest of the first-team offense, will make up the White squad and will square off with the starting defense (the Orange) led by returning starters linebacker Luke McCall and defensive lineman Eric Mikolajchak.

The Bearkats plan to use Bomar’s arm and legs to move the chains next season but will tone things down a bit today.

“It’s going to be kind of hard to evaluate all of it because the quarterback will not be live,” Whitten said. “Because of that, it kind of negates what you can do because if you have an athletic quarterback and he is not live, you are going to get an early whistle. I just hope we continue to improve, which we have the last two scrimmages.”

Since the quarterbacks will be off limits, those on hand won’t get a chance to the full package of plays the offense intends to run next season. Still, there should be plenty of fireworks.

SHSU is evaluating its wide receivers, so look for Bomar to stretch the field with Catron Houston, Trey Payne, Justin Wells and tight end Blake Martin.

“I would really like to see our wide receivers have a nice day,” Whitten said. “They have been up and down throughout the spring, so we have one more chance to see those guys and get them some more game-type situations because we are inexperienced at that position.

“Most of the time when we go out on the field we are going to throw it a good bit. I’m sure everybody will be anxious to see Rhett, and he has been getting better and more comfortable each time out.”

Defensively, one of the main focuses this spring has been getting more pressure on the quarterback, but the Bearkats also have plenty of holes in the secondary.

In the first spring scrimmage, Bomar completed 14-of-15 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns, each went for more than 40 yards. But with the addition of a pass rusher in University of Texas defensive end transfer Chris Brown and returning defensive back contributors Scorpio Babers, Byran Richmond, Carlton Cobey, Josh Moore and Stanley Garrett (all of whom will be on the Orange team), the defense has continued to improve.

In the second scrimmage of the spring, the SHSU defensive guys picked off three passes and held Bomar and backup quarterback Brett Hicks to a combined 238 yards and zero touchdowns through the air.

“Scorpio Babers is going to be a returning senior and he has had an excellent spring after playing well for us last season,” Whitten said. “Byran Richmond is playing well, as is Josh Moore, and Stanley Garrett has stepped up at the other corner back spot. We also have several walk-ons you have been nice surprises. The defense has continued to get better each week.”