Haugabook triggers Troy's spread

TROY, Ala. - Omar Haugabook has never been scared on the football field. That is, until a frightening moment in last Saturday's 46-26 loss at Arkansas.

During a fourth quarter pass attempt, Haugabook jammed his throwing hand into the helmet of an Arkansas defender. His thumb immediately swelled up, bled and grew numb, forcing the Trojans star quarterback from the game.

"At first I thought it was major because I couldn't feel my thumb," Haugabook said. "But afterwards the tests showed it was just jammed."

X-rays on the thumb were negative, and the Trojans collectively exhaled. Haugabook is expected to be at 100 percent Saturday when the Trojans visit No. 4 Florida. And that's a major relief for Troy.

Haugabook, a senior, is on the Davey O'Brien award watch list as one of the nation's top quarterbacks and is the catalyst of Troy's spread offense.

Haugabook transferred to Troy from Dodge City Community College prior to last season and made an immediate impact. He led the Trojans to an 8-5 record, a Sun Belt conference championship and a win over Rice in the New Orleans Bowl. For his efforts, he was named the Sun Belt player of the year and was voted the Most Valuable Player of the New Orleans Bowl.

"It was a successful year," Haugabook said. "We got to our first bowl game. But I feel like there's a lot of areas in my game I could improve from last year to this year."

But Haugabook traveled a long road to get to where he is today. He was an all-state selection in 2003 as a senior at Belle Glade Glades Central, throwing for more than 3,000 yards. Questions about Haugabook's academic standing kept many big schools away, however. Syracuse, Mississippi State, South Florida and East Carolina were interested, but none of the state's Big Three - Florida, Florida State and Miami - were.

Haugabook opted to head to Dodge City Community College in Kansas.

"I wasn't really looked at too much from schools in Florida," Haugabook said. "Everybody has their opinion about me. I felt like the best thing for me was to go to junior college then come to Troy."

Haugabook was an instant standout at Dodge City, earning junior college All-American honors after throwing for 2,425 yards and rushing for 223 his sophomore year.

Then, Troy came calling, and Haugabook was an instant sensation yet again. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound quarterback started every game for the Trojans last season. His signature game, however, also turned into his most forgettable. Haugabook, who grew up a Florida State fan, had led the Trojans to a 17-10 lead in the fourth quarter after he rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 11:12 left.

But Haugabook would throw two costly interceptions late in the game, and FSU came from behind to win 24-17. Haugabook, who wears No. 17 in honor of his boyhood idol, Charlie Ward, was devastated after the game.

"Those were just rookie mistakes," he said. "Mistakes I shouldn't have made. It will always stick in my mind."

Haugabook knows how close he was to orchestrating a monumental upset.

"We should have won that game," he said.

While Haugabook grew up rooting for the Seminoles, he said he wasn't like most FSU fans who shun the Gators.

"I grew up a Florida State fan, but I wouldn't say I hated Florida," he said. "But it would be nice to beat a top-ranked opponent like Florida."

Contact Brandon Zimmerman at 352-374-5051 or zimmerb@gvillesun.com.