Sooner Quarterbacks Need a Chance

September 5th, 2005

By Justin Waganer
Senior Sports Writer

Sooner fans need not completely write off the 2005 season. Yes, as most of us thought, a National Championship is not anywhere in the cards. However, Big 12 Championship goals are still in front of Oklahoma if they can give the quarterbacks an offensive game plan that suits their skills. Gone is Jason White and his O-Line that pushed everyone around en route to the Championship, these guys need to be mobile and need to be given the opportunity to make plays in that capacity.

The general consensus has become that Paul Thompson cannot throw the football. When he had the chance on Saturday he didn’t show anything to the contrary, but did he really have the opportunity? Did anybody expect him to run the same offense Jason White ran a year ago? Did we not hear all last year and all this summer that Paul Thompson had an entirely different package?

Paul Thompson carried the ball two times on Saturday for a total of 11 yards. He had a huge fumble on the 4 yard line that cost the Sooners a score, but it was a fumble anyone would’ve had, helmet-on-ball. Hardly a reason to keep him from carrying the ball again. There were no bootlegs or sprint-outs, just drop back passing from a struggling passer.

It also wasn’t a day that we got to learn much about Rhett Bomar. Where is the opportunity for a guy that gets into a game and runs for 28 yards right away, then never runs the ball again? Where is the opportunity for a guy that completes two passes on the money to get OU in field goal position before the end of the half and doesn’t see the field until 55 seconds remained in the third quarter?

This is not about one guy being better than the other or one guy getting more of an opportunity than the other, this is about neither guy getting a chance to showcase their skills. Chuck Long has run an offense that has been built on the idea of not making mistakes, putting the defense in position to win games. This team must be more wide open. This offense is Jason White before the knee injuries. This offense is Quentin Griffin before a veteran offensive line.

Before giving up on both quarterbacks see what they can do when they get an opportunity to showcase their skills. If Paul Thompson can’t complete a pass off of a bootleg or continues to fumble, then you can call for Bomar. If Rhett Bomar fumbles every time he gets sacked or can’t convert a third down, then you can say he is a bust. Until we see either get a shot at winning a game with their package, don’t say that either is a loser.

Entry Filed under: Sooners