Oklahoma Sooners Football Blog: (8/3) Report: Thompson to QB 2006, More Reaction, NCAA, Fans, and much more.

Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes

Report: Thompson to Quarterback Sooners in 2006, However: Multiple sources on the University of Oklahoma football team said Wednesday night that Thompson, a senior from Leander, Texas, will quarterback the Sooners this season following the dismissal of starter Rhett Bomar. "Paul's going to be the guy," said one source, who requested anonymity. "There's no trying out. There's no competition. Paul's the guy." The sources confirmed that head coach Bob Stoops informed the team Wednesday during a routine meeting to welcome the team back from summer break. A second source with the team said Thompson is the starter now but said that would change if he proved he was not capable of being the Sooners' QB. "He'll have every opportunity," the second source said. Thompson and Halzle -- as well as QB coach Josh Heupel -- declined comment following Wednesday night's meeting. "We're not allowed to talk," Thompson said. Stoops also declined comment. (Tulsa World)

NCAA spokesman comments on situation: In a telephone interview Wednesday, an NCAA spokesman refused to speculate on OU's situation. Stoops' pre-emptive strike, according to Roberts, bodes well for OU, should the NCAA become a more central figure in this case. And should the NCAA come sniffing around, its investigators are bound to ask questions. "How did these kids get these jobs? Was there a systematic pattern by which they were paid?" Roberts said. "Most important, what did the people in the athletic department know about this? How close is the booster to the department or the coaches? "Unless (investigators) find a direct link between the scheme and the department, the ramifications shouldn't be too serious." (More at Tulsa World)

OU Press Conference Today, no word from Quinn: Stoops and athletic director Joe Castiglione are expected to answer questions at a news conference scheduled for 3:15 p.m. today on campus. Bomar, a 21-year-old Grand Prairie graduate, and his father, Jerry, did not return phone messages. Bomar's mother could not be reached. Quinn, 20, also did not return messages, and no one answered the door at his Garland home. (Dallas Morning News)

More on investigation, and University notifying Big 12 and NCAA: A source with knowledge of the situation said the violations occurred last fall and that Oklahoma had been looking into the situation for "several weeks." The source also said OU had both received and confirmed new evidence "in the last 24 hours" and immediately took decisive action, adding that as far as is currently known, Bomar and Quinn are the only two players implicated. Oklahoma alerted Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg, according to a conference spokesman, and the NCAA, a source said. No one from the NCAA compliance office returned phone calls Wednesday. (In part from Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Reaction from Halzle and Bradford Families: Teresa Halzle, the mother of Joey Halzle, said her son informed her of Bomar's dismissal. "I feel badly for everybody involved," she said in a telephone interview. "I don't know what the kid did, but it's unfortunate. People will get different opportunities now. It's unfortunate for the program." As Oklahoma's players reported for summer camp yesterday, Bradford's father, Kent, said his son's cellphone was inundated with calls about Bomar's situation. Many of the callers were Oklahoma players. Bradford, a top quarterback recruit out of Oklahoma City, would have been a likely candidate to sit out the season as a redshirt. Now he is a candidate to start. "His phone started going nuts, and everybody started calling him," Kent Bradford said in a telephone interview. "It was very unexpected news. It's a heck of way to start off fall practice." (New York Times)

Little sympathy for Bomar: The Oklahoman

OU's high hopes take big hit with QB's dismissal: The Oklahoman

The verdict's in -- Bomar's a knucklehead: The Oklahoman

Halzle set to battle for starting QB job: The Oklahoman

Blame falls squarely on Bomar, Quinn: The Oklahoman

QB's violations contain major ramifications: Tulsa World

OU's o-line loses depth, experience: Tulsa World

Fan Reaction; 'It's sad': Norman Transcript

With Bomar, you could almost see it coming: Norman Transcript

Sooners lose upper hand: Dallas Morning News

Sooners are sacked before season even begins: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Bummer for Bomar — and for the Big 12: Austin American-Statesman

Without Bomar, OU looks like everybody else: Austin American-Statesman

Tr-OU-ble in Soonerland: Kansas City Star