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Sooners sticking together
Quartet delayed draft for reasons like graduation, a higher draft spot and another bid for NCAA title.

STAYING PUT
Sam Bradford: Heisman Trophy winner says he never really came close to going pro.
 
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 8/1/2009  2:25 AM
Last Modified: 8/1/2009  4:16 AM
Related story: Bradford awarded top Big 12 honor.

NORMAN — The majority of Oklahoma football devotees merely jumped for joy at the news Sam Bradford was returning to quarterback the 2009 season. Only one, that we know of, nearly KO'd his computer.

"I watched Sam's press conference," OU defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said, "and when he said he was coming back, I kind of kicked the computer. I kind of got happy."

There was good reason. McCoy, the Sooners' most disruptive defensive tackle since Tommie Harris, had decided two days earlier to return for a junior season. Now the Sooners had their offensive and defensive lynchpins locked back in.

But there was more.

"If Sam would have left, I probably would have left," said Jermaine Gresham at Big 12 Media Days last week. "I think if Sam would have left, there would have been a domino effect. He was the leader."

Bradford's return, then, signaled that Gresham, OU's All-American tight end, was bypassing the NFL to play his senior season. Now Bradford had a go-to receiver to help with the loss of wideouts Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson.

Also returning was Trent Williams. He, too, toyed with early NFL entry only to come back for his senior year. Now Bradford had a protective left tackle to help with the loss
of the remainder of an offensive line that kept his uniform practically spotless throughout his Heisman-winning '08 season.

Here were four teammates who were Nos. 1 (Bradford), 4 (Williams), 5 (Gresham) and 7 (McCoy) overall in the 2010 mock draft posted by ESPN analyst Todd McShay right after the '09 draft. That all of them were willing to put off the pros? A reporter at media days used the word "unprecedented" to describe that decision.

McCoy's words for it: "extremely surprised."

The All-American defensive tackle was the first to make up his mind.

"I was real close to coming out, but I want to graduate. That altered my whole decision, me graduating," McCoy said. "I will graduate in May. Wherever I decide to train at (for the 2010 draft next spring), I'll have three hours left and I'll take my capstone online and I'll be done."

So now it was up to the trio on other side of the ball. Gresham's initial inkling after OU's national championship loss to Florida was to return.

"Everything felt incomplete," he said. "The reason why you play at this level is to win the national championship."

In the days after that game, however, the underclassmen considered some of the other issues at play. Money and family situations. Class considerations.

And the reactions of pro personnel to either evaluation tapes OU's underclassmen had submitted, or game film from the Sooners' 2008 season.

Bob Stoops did his annual due diligence with NFL contacts to advise the underclassmen. To his knowledge, as he said at media days last week, Bradford and Gresham were the only safe-bet first-round picks. And there was a big difference between first- and second-round contracts.

"Worlds of difference," Stoops reiterated last week. "If the first round is there you have the opportunity to make a lot more money. First-round guys will be able to share some of that money with family. Second-round guys are going to do all they can to keep what they've got and take care of themselves if they don't have a degree."

The four players didn't just keep in touch with their head coach.

"Everyone knew where everyone was at," Gresham said. "No one was out of the loop."

"Nobody said, 'If you do it, I'm going to do it,' " McCoy said. "We spoke about how we felt about (the process), and we took it all in and just made the decisions we made."

McCoy came close to turning pro. Did Bradford?

"To be honest, no," he said last week. "It took a while. I went in with an open mind, and it really started out 50-50 whether I was going to come back or go. After I gathered some information, that's when I really looked at it and made my decision."

Bradford's decision set up Gresham's.

"I didn't want to go through the whole experience of everything without Sam," the tight end said last week. "I felt being with him and going through another year under coach (Kevin) Wilson and becoming a better player would be better for me and my family. It was the right decision to stay."

Williams followed suit, and suddenly "unprecedented" didn't seem like such a stretch.

"There's value that they see in graduating and/or if you're not graduating, you're within a class or two so it's real manageable," Stoops said of his quartet's decision. "There's value in being more prepared for (the NFL) when it comes, to being a year stronger, more seasoned. And value in being with their teammates another year.

"So it is pretty special."

Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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9 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Report Comment
Graybeard, Tulsa (8/1/2009 6:15:02 AM)
I think these athletes are waking up to the realization that nothing can replace their college degree. It is absolutely priceless, and to be fortunate enough to have the talent that brings a scholarship is an opportunity of a lifetime.
Regardless of the money a signing bonus and huge contract can lure a star athlete away from the college experience, it cannot replace the fellowship and team camaraderie....maybe the best of their lives.
Report Comment
SoonerDJ, Lisbon, Portugal (8/1/2009 1:02:06 PM)
Well it was certainly good for us OU fans. I'm not saying OU wouldn't be good this season, but those 4 guys staying could be the difference between winning a National Championship with them coming back and finishing 3rd in the Big 12 and playing in the Holiday Bowl. I know nothing is certain, but those guys staying must have been a blow to the other Big 12 schools.
Report Comment
tprice, (8/1/2009 1:37:29 PM)
Thanks to all these guys returning maybe will beat Texas and shut them up!!
We travel and our Sooner spirit travels with us!
When we are home we fly our OU flag proudly!
Report Comment
CowboyBobDog, Creek Cty (8/1/2009 2:09:46 PM)
Graybeard,
I agree. I wouldn't trade my college experience for anything. I still get together with fraternity brothers and others from school.

(Bobdog wags his tail.)
Report Comment
Swarm, (8/1/2009 2:54:36 PM)
Your Senior season as well! Set the example for all the underclassmen as well! Football at Oklahoma us men stay our 4yrs+ even redshirts!

Man Law!

UNION FOOTBALL#1
Report Comment
Bullhead, Nicut (8/1/2009 3:15:20 PM)
Amen, tprice! God Bless the Sooners. I pray they take it all this season. We're due.
Report Comment
Chiefs, Gore (8/1/2009 6:29:05 PM)
I've gotta admit that I'm selfish. I WANT to see Sam and company for another year and now I will. McCoy will get that diploma and they SHOULD be 1st rounders for sure. I am always glad when the boys stay for their diploma. GO SOONERS!
Report Comment
SoonerChris, Tulsa (8/1/2009 7:19:08 PM)
This season is going to be magical! OU has one of the top five most difficult scedules in the country - if they make it to the NC game after turing down the kind of money these boys turned down how could you not pick them to be the Favorite?????????
Report Comment
SoonerChris, Tulsa (8/1/2009 7:20:57 PM)
Well put Graybeard - ask any retired NFL player if they could only go back to college or pro and re-live it they will choose college everytime - before the game becomes a business!
 

 
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