Stoops says Bomar knowingly broke NCAA rules
NORMAN, Okla. --Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Thursday that the school acted quickly when it found out that starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and offensive lineman J.D. Quinn broke NCAA rules through their employment at a car dealership.
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Stoops said he had not been aware that Bomar and Quinn were working at the dealership last fall until Oklahoma's compliance staff investigated the situation. Stoops said he didn't rush to a decision but considered it "fairly cut and dry."
Stoops said the players, who were dismissed from the team on Wednesday, "knowingly" broke the rules. The university has said the players were being paid for more work than they actually did.
"Both parties were aware that their actions were in violation of NCAA rules. They did it over a long and extended period of time," Stoops said. "That's conduct that we won't tolerate here at the University of Oklahoma."
Bomar set an Oklahoma freshman record with 2,018 yards passing last season after taking over as the starter in Week 2. Quinn, Bomar's roommate, was expected to compete for a starting spot after making four starts last season at right guard.
Bomar spoke to KOCO-TV on Thursday.
"I respect the decision that Coach Stoops made and the administration above him. We have to live with that, you know, we have to move on," he said. "But I wish the best for the program. I cared about this program and I don't want anybody to think that we didn't."
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| Bob Stoops: Players need to be accountable. (AP) |
Stoops said players and the businesses that employ them are expected to turn in documentation of the employment.
"If people are going to, in their own choice, do something knowingly against NCAA rules, they're not going to tell you about it," Stoops said. "Once we knew or had any inkling of it, we acted on it and our compliance staff got to the end of it."
Stoops said he wasn't sure what Oklahoma could do differently to prevent similar problems in the future.
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