Tulsa World: Gresham back for title run

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Gresham back for title run
All-American tight end says loss to Florida in championship left his career feeling 'incomplete.'

STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World file

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 8/6/2009 2:28 AM
Last Modified: 8/7/2009 7:17 AM

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On Wednesday, for the last time as an Oklahoma Sooner, Jermaine Gresham reported to preseason training camp.

Gresham and the Sooners begin preparation for the 2009 football season on Thursday. The All-American tight end from Ardmore says one of the reasons he came back for his senior year instead of jumping early to the NFL was because his career "felt incomplete" after ending last season with a loss to Florida in the national championship game.

So Gresham — one of three Oklahoma-grown preseason All-Americans on the OU roster — made a declaration last week.

"Anything less than a national championship would be (a disappointment)," Gresham said. "That's what we work for and play for. Nobody on this team plays for individual awards — nobody. We play as one and the ultimate goal is to win every game."

OU is a consensus No. 2, 3 or 4 pick this summer. The Associated Press preseason Top 25 and the USA Today coaches preseason Top 25 will be released later in August. At OU, winning another Big 12 title — it would be their fourth in a row, and Bob Stoops' seventh — is not unexpected. Going undefeated is a solid possibility.

But winning the national championship? Winning a Bowl Championship Series game? Those expectations, Gresham acknowledged, are a little bit different. OU has lost its last three title game appearances and has now dropped five BCS games in a row. The Sooners' only bowl victory since the 2002 Rose Bowl was in 2005, when they beat Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.

"We need to win one. There's no ifs, ands or buts about (it)," Gresham said. "We've lost how many? A lot. It's time to buckle down and win one."

Stoops said critics shouldn't discount OU's paralleled run of three straight conference crowns.

"Now sure, we want to win a BCS game, too," he said, "but if you start discounting Big 12 championships, that's pretty foolish."

But, Gresham said, as long as Stoops resides in Norman — in June he got a contract extension that will average $4.304 million through 2015 — OU fans will be happy. Gresham said the idea is false that the graduation of himself and senior offensive tackle Trent Williams, coupled with the anticipated early NFL departures of quarterback Sam Bradford and junior defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, will somehow leave the cupboard bare.

"Nope. We're just players in a system," Gresham said. "After your four years are up, you're gone and someone will come in and do the same job you did. It's the University of Oklahoma. It will always be about more than one person or a couple people.

"As long as coach Stoops is here, OU will have great teams."

John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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	Report Comment Graybeard, Tulsa (8/6/2009 5:33:33 AM) GO BIG RED MACHINE!
	Report Comment lovethemsooners, Fayetteville (8/6/2009 8:20:04 AM) I love the attitude this year. They've never really been specific about their goals in the past like they are this year. I hope it ends well for us this time. I'd love to see the "Big Four" go out on top. Boomer Sooner Baby!!
	Report Comment DelawareSooner, Newark, DE (8/6/2009 9:35:13 AM) I just want 'em to win a bowl game! Go Sooners!
	Report Comment SoonerStorm, Tulsa (8/6/2009 9:37:55 AM) Best tight end in the country - Thanks for coming back Jermaine!
	Report Comment pat, Kiefer (8/6/2009 10:45:59 AM) BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (8/6/2009 10:48:05 AM) BOOMER SOONER! Start the season.
	Report Comment Hijinx, (8/6/2009 12:38:23 PM) True, Big 12 championships are nothing to sneeze at, I’m sure OSU can tell you that, but the National championship is THE prize these kids came to play for. And Gresham is a big time player that will play a major role in getting that trophy.
	Report Comment Ottley, (8/6/2009 12:49:40 PM) ROFLMFAO!! You are all overlooking the fact that he plays for the biggest chokers today in the college football world. He should have got out of Norman when he had the chance. oh ya.............GO POKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (8/6/2009 2:15:37 PM) Ottley, thanks for dropping by. See you and your big talk in November.
	Report Comment matxz1, Irving (8/6/2009 2:46:48 PM) Sooners/Texas = best game of the season Cant wait to get on TXvsOU com
	Report Comment hadenuf, (8/6/2009 2:49:06 PM) I'm trying to remember how many times has OSU played for the national title? Oh, I remember now...........NOME, as in zero times.
	Report Comment hadenuf, (8/6/2009 2:49:35 PM) or that could be NONE..........
	Report Comment forever orange, Broken Arrow (8/6/2009 4:56:13 PM) Back for another loss - 5 stright BCS belly flops! Give up - you are an embarrassment to the Big 12. USC was fantastic and the last minute melt down with Boise State was glorious. How does a team averaging 50+ points per game get shut down to 14 in THE GAME - simple - they were over rated as usual. Every year Bob Stoops gives me something to laugh about. But this year ou will not make it to THE GAME. I spell it LouSER!
	Report Comment t.hill17, (8/6/2009 8:02:31 PM) Wow, forever orange. Typical osu fan. I've got some numbers for you too. 5, 6, and 0. True the five is the number of BCS games we've lost in a row. The six is of course the six games in a row that you have lost to us. The zero alludes to the flawless record you have in BCS games, zero losses, zero wins, and zero appearances....see you in november...
	Report Comment im4osu, Broken Arrow (8/7/2009 11:02:12 AM) He is a good player, just on the wrong team, they arent going anywhere, the fire is gone.
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (8/7/2009 11:04:30 AM) The fire is gone? LOL!!!!! Wait until you come to Norman im4osu. Your pokes are going to get BURNED!!

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