Bomar faces long road back to college football

Updated: August 3, 2006, 7:23 PM ET

Email Print Share

By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com
Archive

Former Sooners QB Dean Blevins Reacts to Bomar

Bomar dismissed from football team for violation of NCAA rulesTags: College Football, Oklahoma Sooners

Learn More » Report a bug » Feedback »

VIDEO PLAYLIST

If former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar decides to transfer and play football at another NCAA institution, he will have to clear some hurdles. Since Oklahoma has declared him ineligible, Bomar more than likely will have to repay the money he shouldn't have received from working at a car dealership, then seek reinstatement from the NCAA.

Bomar, who was one of the country's most highly recruited quarterbacks two years ago and started 11 games for the Sooners as a freshman in 2005, was permanently dismissed from the team by Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops on Wednesday. The school said Bomar and sophomore offensive lineman J.D. Quinn violated NCAA rules by working at a car dealership in Norman, Okla., and taking "payment over an extended period of time in excess of time actually worked."

It is unclear what Bomar's immediate plans are. He and his father, Jerry Bomar, who coached him at Grand Prairie (Texas) High School, have not returned telephone calls seeking comment.

But Bomar undoubtedly faces a long road before he plays college football again. Erik Christianson, a spokesman for the NCAA, said student-athletes who are declared ineligible by their schools can't participate in intercollegiate athletics at another school without first seeking reinstatement. Christianson said the rules cover NCAA Division I-A, I-AA, II and III schools.

"If a student-athlete does something to render himself or herself ineligible, if they violate a bylaw or take an extra benefit, the athlete's institution must apply for reinstatement," Christianson said, not speaking about Bomar specifically. "It's the institution that seeks reinstatement. A student-athlete can't seek reinstatement on behalf of himself or herself."

Christianson said the NCAA's reinstatement staff can render three verdicts on an application for reinstatement: full reinstatement; reinstatement with conditions, such as paying back extra benefits or game suspensions; or lifetime ineligibility.

Student-athletes can appeal verdicts to the NCAA's student-athlete reinstatement committee, which consists of various personnel from NCAA institutions and conferences. The committee's decision is final. In August 2004, the reinstatement committee declared receivers Jeremy Bloom of Colorado and Mike Williams of Southern California permanently ineligible. Bloom violated NCAA rules, the committee ruled, because he signed endorsement contracts for skiing, jeopardizing his eligibility to play football for the Buffaloes. Williams was declared ineligible after he signed with an agent and accepted money from the agent when declaring for the NFL draft.

If Bomar is reinstated and transfers to another Division I school, he would be required to sit out this season. The NCAA does allow a one-time transfer from Division I to I-AA, but a student-athlete must meet four conditions: the student-athlete has two years of eligibility remaining; he or she has not transferred previously from a four-year institution; he or she is in good academic standing and meets progress toward degree requirements; and the former school has released the student-athlete from his or her scholarship.

If Bomar were to transfer to a two-year junior college, he still would have to be reinstated by the NCAA before playing at another one of its member schools. His other options include playing for an NAIA school, which isn't subject to NCAA rules, or entering the NFL draft in two years.

Mark Schlabach covers college football and men's college basketball for ESPN.com. You can contact him at schlabachma@yahoo.com.

OUt Of The Picture

Oklahoma starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and sophomore guard J.D. Quinn will not play for the Sooners this season. The school said the players violated NCAA rules by working at a private business and taking "payment over an extended period of time in excess of time actually worked."

News
• Bomar, Quinn must sit out year, lose year of eligibility
• Texas D-II school seeks permission to talk to Bomar
• Bomar, Quinn respond
• OU prepares report
• Stoops: Players 'knowingly' broke rules
• Oklahoma dismisses Bomar
• Thompson moves back to QB

Analysis
• Wojciechowski: Oklahoma will be OK
• Schlaback: Bomar faces tough road
• Forde: What an August mess
• Schlabach: OUt of the picture
• Feldman: Bomar leaves QB void
• Luginbill: Recruiting implications

Watch
• Bomar apologizes ESPN Video
• Stoops on dismissals
• Rome Burns on OU
• Dean Blevins reacts to Bomar
• Bomar Dismissed From OU

SportsNation's Pulse
• Is college football corrupt?