University of North Carolina Athletics
The Bomar Tradition Lives On At Carolina
October 6, 1999 | Football
Oct. 6, 1999
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His younger brother J.P. is a walk-on safety as a sophomore. David has gone from being a walk-on freshman to a full scholarship player who plays a valuable role on special teams and as backup at safety.
TarHeelBlue talks to a young man who epitomizes the word hustle.
TarHeelBlue: When you were a senior in high school did you ever imagine you would play as much as you have at Carolina?
David Bomar: "Never. It's something I didn't really think about until after we finished the playoffs my senior year. I had some good games in the playoffs. If it wasn't for that and a couple of my coaches, plus my dad, I probably wouldn't have come out. But, I decided to give it a shot and see how it went.
"I never thought I'd play this much. It's fun. I came here kind of undersized, but I worked hard and here I am."
TarHeelBlue: Is it more fun to play special teams or safety?
David Bomar: "Playing safety is more fun now because I've been playing special teams for so long. ut I do think I'm better at special teams, just because I've done it so much. This my third year playing on special teams, and it's like I don't have to think about it any more. I just go out there and do it.
"Safety's a little different because I haven't played it that much during games. I do treat it like special teams. Just go out there at 100 miles per hour, and if you're right you're right, if you're wrong you're wrong. You just go as hard as you can."
TarHeelBlue: You're usually the gunner (the wing position) on the punting team. What's that like?
David Bomar: "I got moved last week from the gunner to the personal protector spot. I loved being the gunner. You try to get off the block and get down there as fast as you can.
"They moved me last week. I really like that, too. I make sure nobody gets to the punter, and after that I go straight to the ball. I don't have to beat any kind of corners covering me. I have a direct line to the ball. I don't have to worry about any specific assignments. Sometimes the defense overlooks the personal protector, and I end up with a free shot at the returner."
TarHeelBlue: Does it take a different mentality to play on special teams?
David Bomar: "I don't think so. I just think you have to have pride in whatever position you play and do whatever you can to help the team. Special teams gives you a chance to show what you can do if you're not playing on offense or defense. If you do well on special teams the coaches think maybe you can do well at another position.
"I got my first break playing on special teams. I don't know if I'd be playing safety now if it wasn't for special teams."
TarHeelBlue: Do walk-ons have to hustle more than scholarship players ? (Bomar earned a scholarship this year.)
David Bomar: "They have to, because that's the only way they're going to get noticed. Walk-ons have to come in and prove themselves. That's the mentality I adopted when I came here.
"Part of it is just being in awe of the size and the speed the players have. I knew I had to give it everything I had just to keep up with the other guys and maybe get the attention of the coaches. I had to do more than the regular scholarship players just because they're going to get the first looks from the coaches.
"You have to go a little above and beyond to prove yourself. The good thing about this program is the coaches really keep an eye out for that. I'm not sure how it is with other programs, but our coaches keep an eye on the walk-ons. If the coaches think a walk-on is playing well, they won't hesitate to put him in there."
TarHeelBlue: Your dad was an excellent quarterback under Coach Dooley. Does he talk much about his playing days at Carolina?
David Bomar: "Not too much. He'd tell us some stuff, but we heard a lot about his career from other people. I don't think my dad wanted to try to influence us to be like him or do what he did. He didn't want to put too much pressure on us.
"He just wanted us (David and his brother J.P., also a UNC player) to play if we wanted to play. He'd come out and support us in any way he could. He was a big part of our athletic life growing up. He was our little league coach and always helped us out in whatever we were playing.
"Baseball was my big thing growing up until I threw my arm out. I played center field. I actually wanted to be a little different than my dad. I really love baseball.
"Dad never pressured us, he just always encouraged us. He wouldn't let us play football until we got to middle school. He didn't want us to play in the Pop Warner league. He was afraid we would get tired and burned out if we started too young."
TarHeelBlue: I imagine you came to games at Kenan Stadium when you were a kid.
David Bomar: "Yes, it was kind of magical in a way, knowing that my dad played here. I'd think, wow, my dad was out here doing what these guys are doing. When you're little you're looking up at all those big guys and thinking my dad played against guys that big.
"When we were little we used to come and serve food to the recruits. We'd get sideline passes and hang out in the end zone and mess around with the mascots. We'd have a ball. We also got to go into the locker room and meet some of the players. That's something I always remember.
"Torin Dorn was always real nice to me. He gave me his wristband, and I never forgot it. That influenced me to be nice to kids now and treat them really nice, because I remember how much it meant to me.
"It's seems so long ago now. When I was little I could never have imagined that one day I'd be doing the same thing those guys were doing."
TarHeelBlue: Were you and J.P. competitive with each other growing up?
David Bomar: "We competed at some things, but J.P. was a couple of years behind me so I had a little advantage over him. Sometimes I'd try to let him know I had the upper hand on him, but I think that drove him to get better.
"We really tried to work together in high school as well as now. I just feel like I can help him more than anyone else because I think he understands me and he listens to me. That doesn't mean he doesn't listen to the coaches. It's never been an I'm better than you type of thing."
TarHeelBlue: Do you know what you want to do after you graduate?
David Bomar: "I want to go into business. I'm majoring in advertising in the school of journalism. I took a journalism class last year that just really kind of excited me. I've always wanted to do something in business. My dad's a stockbroker. Watching him go to work everyday gave me the desire to do something like he does."
TarHeelBlue: I hear you like golf.
David Bomar: "I love it. It's kind of hard to mix it in with lifting weights and playing football. Golf's the toughest sport I've ever tried to play. You have to play and practice all the time if you want to be any good at it. I don't have the time now to be as good as I want to be, but I'm going to work on it after I graduate.
"I love to play with my Dad. We have a great time on the course. It's kind of a bonding thing. I'm sure golf will come in handy with a business career. It's something my dad uses with his career. Dad's gotten down to about a seven handicap."
TarHeelBlue: What did it feel like to score a touchdown in the Las Vegas Bowl?
David Bomar: "Unbelievable! I never thought it would happen. It was a great thrill knowing my dad was up in the stands watching. It added a little more spice to it and made it even more special to me. It was very exciting to help our team win."
TarHeelBlue: How's the team's morale now?
David Bomar: "Well, it gets rough after losing these games. We just have to go back and regroup and find ourselves again. I think we're on the right path now.
"We had a really strong practice today (Tuesday). We're starting to see a little more competition out on the field between the offense and the defense, like it used to be. Guys are starting to get after it, and some of the guys are starting to step up. I think that's what it takes to win in this league. I think we're on the right track now."
TarHeelBlue: When you came here as a walk-on did it give you any more confidence coming from a great high school program like Northern Durham?
David Bomar: "It gave me a lot of confidence because Northern Durham's been a powerhouse in football for as long as I can remember. I used to go and watch Northern play when I was little, not ever knowing if I would play for them either.
"It was really exciting at Northern. I got to watch my sisters cheer, and Coach Browing was there my first two years.
"It gave me a little more confidence knowing I'd played with some of the better players in the state. I knew that I had the ability to play with some of these guys.
"I never actually played under Coach Browning, because I didn't play my sophomore year after I hurt my arm. I was on the JV team my freshman year.
"Coach Browning is a really good guy. He's all about football. He's one of the hardest workers that I've seen in the coaching profession. Every time I see him, he's coaching, and that's the way it's been as long as I remember."
TarHeelBlue: Is there anything special about you that you would like for people to know?
David Bomar: "That I come from a strong Christian family with great parents. We've got a great family, a family that gives a lot of support and cares about one another. They're the biggest influence I've had in my life.
"I'm really proud of my family and the way things have turned out. I'm really happy for the way my parents have raised us. I'd just like for everybody to know that everything starts in the family. That's where your character and your morals come from. I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging, but if everybody's family was like mine when I was growing up, the world would be a better place."
Joe Bray
TarHeelBlue.com
