Central Michigan University Athletics
Boomer's Slant
11/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 7, 2003
Former CMU quarterback Gary Hogeboom was known for his strong arm in both his collegiate and pro career. The Grand Rapids native led the Chippewas to their first Mid-American Conference championship in 1979. Hogeboom was named MAC "Offensive Player of the Year" that season and was also a first team All-MAC honoree. Boomer finished his career first in total offense gained in a single season (1,821 yards) and in a career (4,045). He had rushed for more yards than any other Chippewa QB (957) and was the first CMU signal caller to throw for successive 1,000-yard seasons. Hogeboom went on to play pro ball for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, and Phoenix Cardinals. CMUChippewas.com sat down with the former quarterback earlier this fall to chat about the Chippewas, the NFL, and how life after football has been.
CMUChippewas.com: Talk a little bit about how you chose Central Michigan University over the other schools that were recruiting you.
Hogeboom: Out of high school, I was a late maturer. I was 6-3, 180 pounds with a good arm but I really didn't have great speed. I was being recruited by Western Michigan, Central Michigan and some Ivy League Schools. Roy Kramer came down and watched me play a basketball game and offered me a scholarship. I then came up to CMU and visited the campus and noticed it's a unique campus. It's enclosed and I liked that. I was not much of a big-city guy and immediately fell in love with Central and decided to come up here.
CMUChippewas.com: Did you believe that you were going to as successful in college as you were when you first came to CMU?
Hogeboom: You know, they didn't run the style of offense that I was accustomed to when I came up here. I had a strong arm, I wasn't real fast and they ran the option up here. So, it wasn't a good mix as far as that goes. I just liked the area and wasn't offered a lot out of high school. But, I liked it up here. I liked running the ball. I wasn't good at it but it was still a lot of fun.
CMUChippewas.com: You were a member of the first football team to win a Mid-American Conference championship. What are some of the memories that stand out when you think about that season?
Hogeboom: It was a great group of guys. It was amazing how close we were as a team. And, anyone who knows anything about football knows that it's the ultimate team sport. We jelled as a team, the coaching staff was great, and we were able to do some things that were unique when we made the jump to Division I. So, it was fun. We had a great time, with a great group of guys and we have a lot of great memories.
CMUChippewas.com: Your first head coach out of high school was the legendary Tom Landry. What was it like for playing with one of the greatest football minds?
Hogeboom: You know, Tom Landry was probably the most knowledgeable coach that I have ever been around throughout my whole career in the pros and in college. He coached both offense and defense so his knowledge of the game was unbelievable. He was a distant person so he didn't get close to his players. He was great man and I had a lot fun when I played in Dallas. I feel very fortunate having played with him.
CMUChippewas.com: Before Dan Reeves made a name for himself as a head coach, he was Tom Landry's offensive coordinator. In fact, he coached you in Dallas. What was it like playing for Reeves?
Hogeboom: Dan Reeves was the reason why I went down to Dallas. He came up and worked me out at Grand Rapids Junior College when I was a senior in college. He was very neat and personable ... just a player's coach. I'm just so happy that he went on to do what he has done. He was a great guy, a great family guy. I have fond memories of him. It was great playing for Dan.
CMUChippewas.com: You cut your teeth in the NFL playing for "America's Team." Was that a tough place to play football?
Hogeboom: It was really strange. You think that CMU football is big. And, it is. But, then you go down to Dallas and it's a completely different world. It was awesome. I had a great time. The fans were great all over the country. You either loved the Cowboys or hated them. So, that was kinda neat. At that point in time, it was a great organization and that made it fun to play in Dallas.
CMUChippewas.com: Was it tough to make the transition from playing college football at CMU to playing for such a high-profile organization like Dallas?
Hogeboom: It didn't seem tough at the time. I think that I was surrounded by so many great athletes and people in college that it made it an easy transition. I think it would have been tough if I made it tough. Really, football is a simple game. I love practicing. I love working out year round. So, it was fun and that's what made it awesome.
CMUChippewas.com: Did you feel like you had the tools to play in the pros after playing college football here at CMU?
Hogeboom: Obviously, there's a major jump from college football to the NFL. But, when I was a senior coming out of college, I didn't think Central Michigan was small-time football. We were undefeated. I guarantee that any guy on the team felt that we could have played any team in the country that year. So, it was never a thought in my mind that I was coming from a program that was any different than Tennessee and Alabama, the other undefeated programs at that time. We would have taken on anybody at any time. And, I think that that helped my attitude in making the jump to the pros. Obviously, guys were quicker than quick and bigger than big in the NFL. But, I was ready for that because of what happened at CMU.
CMUChippewas.com: Three current NFL quarterbacks have roots in the Mid-American Conference. You have Byron Leftwich in Jacksonville, Chad Pennington in New York, and Charlie Batch in Pittsburgh. Has play in the MAC changed since you played to enable MAC players in such a specialized position to break into the pros?
Hogeboom: What I think has happened in the MAC, along with many other conferences across the country, is that teams are passing more. There is obviously a lot of talent coming out of high schools but it just boils down to who recruits the best to get the best players. But, I think there's so much talent that a lot of kids don't go to the major colleges. Instead, they go to a MAC school or to a smaller conference school where they will get immediate playing time. And really, the quality of play among the schools is pretty close. I think that's the reason that you're seeing quality players come out of the MAC. People are realizing that they are good football players. If you're good enough, you're going to get noticed no matter where you're at. And, the pro scouts find the good players no matter where they play.
CMUChippewas.com: Speaking of getting noticed in the MAC, talk about how you became a Dallas Cowboy.
Hogeboom: Well, I had been receiving letters from Dallas while I was still in college. However, at that point of the season, most of the teams had already worked me out. But, all I got from the Cowboys were letters telling me that they were thinking about drafting me. Gill Brandt, the director of player personnel at the time, then wrote me letter two weeks before the draft. So, I called him up and said, "I think it's awesome that you're thinking about drafting me but you have never seen me throw other than on film. So, he said we'll talk to coach Reeves and we'll see. Two days later, coach Reeves calls me up and says he's working out Rusty Lisch from Notre Dame and Terry Bradshaw's brother from Utah. He asked if we could meet sometime when he was around Notre Dame so he could see me throw. I said I would go anywhere. Being from Grand Rapids, I asked him to come up to Grand Rapids. So, we met on a little field in downtown Grand Rapids and hired a couple of wide receivers to catch passes. Dallas drafted me the next week.
CMUChippewas.com: Was Dallas your first choice.
Hogeboom: You know, I didn't care. I just wanted a shot someplace. You think and dream about where you want to play. Dallas was just a great team in the NFL that showed interest so I was interested.
CMUChippewas.com: What was you most memorable moment from playing in the pros?
Hogeboom: I had a great time everywhere I went throughout my 11 years. There were some ups and downs and some injuries but the first time I started was on Monday Night Football out in LA. That was one of the top moments. It was fun. We won the game. We played well. I had a couple of bad plays but I came back. It was neat.
CMUChippewas.com: What are you up to now?
Hogeboom: I'm a dad. I have four kids and a great wife. I live in the Grand Haven/Holland area and I do little real estate developing, investing, I was coaching basketball and football up until this year. I also do some ministry work. I'm just trying to make ends meet and having fun doing it.
CMUChippewas.com: Do you miss football at all?
Hogeboom: You know, the thing I miss the most is being with a group of guys who are working on a common goal. After you have lived a good part of your life in a locker room and out on the field, it's hard to make adjustments away from that because it's such a great atmosphere. But, my body was ready to go and 11 years took a toll. My body was ready to get out of it and I was ready, too. I miss it but I'm having a great time right now.
CMUChippewas.com: How do you think the quarterback position has changed since you have been in the pros?
Hogeboom: Well, I don't think the position has changed that much other than that there are great athletes at that position. But, there were great athletes playing when I was around. There's no doubt that you need to be big, strong, and bulky now in order to take the beating.
CMUChippewas.com: Now, we're going to ask you some quick-hitters.
Quarterback in the league now that resembles your style of play.
Hogeboom: Oh, I'd love to say Michael Vick. Oh boy, I would have to say Leftwich. I like the way he's got a cannon. And he's from the MAC so you gotta like that.
Hardest hit you ever took in the NFL.
Hogeboom: No question, and I hate giving the guys name because it makes him feel good, but he was cornerback from the New York Giants, Perry Williams. He just cranked me right in jaw and knocked me out. It was memorable. Well, not that I remember. But, he came at me on cornerback blitz and hit me head-to-head. Obviously, there was no penalty for that. It was just another hit.
Greatest QB you've ever seen.
Hogeboom: Boy, there's a ton of them out there. Elway, Marino, Favre. I loved watching those guys. I like tough quarterbacks and there's a ton.
Third and long, who are you throwing to?
Hogeboom: Billy Brooks.
College or pro ... best receiver you have ever thrown to.
Hogeboom: Wow, that is tough. I had some good receivers. Drew Pearson, Doug Donelly, Tony Hill, Billy Brooks, Roy Green, JT Smith. I'd throw to any of them any time. That was what was so neat. Mike Ball, Ryan Blank. I had some great receivers in college and pros. That's what makes a great quarterback are his receivers, offensive line, and running backs.
