Meet Bomar's backup? Commitment from juco quarterback is crucial for Sooners

George Schroeder

Published: December 12, 2005

NORMAN - The Sooners might have located a very important piece of their recruiting puzzle on Sunday.

OU questions and concerns

And the funny thing is, this guy probably won't start anytime soon.

Joey Halzle, a junior-college quarterback, orally committed to Oklahoma after visiting the campus over the weekend, the end of a whirlwind romance. He plans to enroll for the spring semester and appeared to understand the situation: Rhett Bomar is OU's starter.

Halzle, from Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Calif., told OUinsider.com that Bomar was "a very good player and he has to be considered the starter." But Halzle, who will be a sophomore in 2006, said he would compete for the job next spring and said coaches would give him the chance to win it.

True enough, of course. If Halzle could beat out Bomar, he'd be named the starter. But this is not about another quarterback competition.

Halzle's choice provides some insurance at the most important position, at a place where OU has been living on the edge.

Yes, Paul Thompson has been the backup and might have been capable in a pinch. But Thompson hasn't gotten many snaps in practice. OU's backups rarely do. And Thompson, you'll remember, is playing wide receiver -- a move that further limited his work at quarterback.

Somehow, Bomar's arm has not fallen off, despite his taking every meaningful practice snap. Somehow -- and this is much more amazing -- Bomar has remained relatively healthy. He injured both ankles but emerged from his first season with only minor bumps and bruises.

All that said, the Sooners desperately needed another quarterback.

Without Halzle, and with Thompson completing the position switch, Bomar would have been the only scholarship quarterback for spring practice. More important, the only scholarship backup next season would have been Putnam City North's Sam Bradford (who has orally committed).

A true freshman as the backup?

Halzle had visits scheduled with Wyoming and Michigan, but he canceled them. Competition or not, Halzle will have an immediate impact for OU.