Karam transfering to Memphis

January 9, 2012

FRIENDSWOOD — Former Friendswood field general Jacob Karam's final season for the Friendswood Mustangs was in 2008. Karam was the only quarterback that started as a sophomore for head coach Steve Van Meter beginning in 2006.

In 2008, Karam led the Mustangs to the Class 4A Division I Region III title and a trip to the 4A Div. I state semifinals where they faced defending state champion Lake Travis. The Cavaliers defeated the Mustangs and went on to win the 2008 state title. Lake Travis won a state-record fifth straight state championship in 2011.

The District 24-4A coaches named Karam as the district's "Most Valuable Player" and he was also named as a finalist for the "Offensive Player of the Year" award by the Touchdown Club of Houston. Karam was also named as the "Offensive Player of the Year" by the Galveston Daily News.

Karam finished as the most prolific passer in FHS history. He set numerous records including most touchdown passes in a game (7 TDs twice), most career passing yards (7,607), most touchdown passes in a season (38), most touchdown passes in a career (84), most career pass attempts (872) and most career pass completions (502). Karam, who completed 59.19 of his passes, led the entire Houston area in passing in 2008 among all classes. That is quite an accomplishment considering that Friendswood missed two games that were canceled because of Hurricane Ike. He also scored 18 touchdowns rushing.

Prior to his senior season, Karam selected Texas Tech as his college of choice with head coach Mike Leach at the helm of one of the most aggressive offenses in the nation making the Red Raiders as a logical choice for the record-setting gunslinger.

After being red shirted in 2009, Karam was ready to compete for the starting job at quarterback, but things turned sour at Tech when Leach was fired due to some very controversial issues on and off the field.

For the past two seasons, Karam has been forced to watch QB Seth Doege take the majority of all the snaps while hoping to get additional playing time.

Most agree that Karam has too much talent to be sitting on the bench and watching his playing career pass him by. It is for this reason that Karam has decided to transfer to the University of Memphis leaving him two more years of eligibility.

Under NCAA rules, Karam would have to sit out a year and wait for the 2013 season, but tha won't be the case as Karam has already graduated from Texas Tech with his Bachelor of Arts in University Studies degree. Because he has his degree -- he will become immediately eligible to play in 2012.

That's where Karam's exceptional scholastic work has set him apart from the rest of his teammates despite the limited playing time.

Karam graduated on Friday, December 17 and he was selected to be the University College's banner bearer and parade the gonfalon for University College while receiving his degree.

The winsome Karam will set his sights on earning a starting position on the Memphis offense while also preparing for graduate school and pre-law emphasis.

The bachelor's degree in University Studies is a unique academic program that allows University College students to customize their educational experience according to their own personal goals. And one of Karam's goals was to finish his undergraduate degree in less than three years which he accomplished.

Despite his considerable responsibilities to both the football team and to dealing with an atypical course load - Karam still excelled in his classes, and graduated magna cum laude. He also volunteered much of his free time to community service projects such as the time he gathered together many student-athletes from various sports to spend the day at High Point Village, which he said was the most memorable volunteer opportunity he had in Lubbock.

These factors are what led to Karam being a candidate to represent University College as the banner bearer for commencement. According to Sarah Foley, the director of University College's Advising Team, the top three students were chosen based on multiple categories such as GPA, campus involvement, community involvement, and employment. A committee then convened and eventually selected Karam to be the Fall 2011 banner bearer.

"Being selected as the banner bearer is a huge honor for me personally," said Karam. "I was very privileged to lead our class into the graduation ceremony."

Karam was not only successful with the Mustangs, but he has continued his promising career at the collegiate level showing that he will no doubt flourish in the world outside the field of competition and the classroom.

Memphis finished this past season with a 2-10 record and was 1-7 in Conference USA. The Tigers ranked 85th in the nation in passing yards. Karam certainly enters the program with a strong pedigree of success and has the charisma to be a leader on this football team and to make an immediate impact for a program needing a strong player who is competitive and who can lead them to brighter days.

Karam is the son of Jerome and Leslie Karam of Friendswood.

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