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Spotlight shift for OU
With Bradford’s career at OU presumably over, Landry Jones will officially play the role of Sooner QB.

Oklahoma quarterbacks Sam Bradford (left) and Landry Jones are shown before Saturday's game in Lawrence, Kan. The reins were passed to Jones after OU announced the injured Bradford plans to undergo surgery and enter the 2010 NFL draft. STEPHEN PINGRY / Tulsa World
 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 10/27/2009  2:24 AM
Last Modified: 10/27/2009  10:29 AM

 NORMAN — Landry Jones sat there with his clean-shaven upper lip, relaxed, smiling, joking, chatting about his girlfriend and his missing mustache and his faith.

As Oklahoma's starting quarterback, the Sooners are his team now.

"Landry Jones is extremely confident and comfortable in his own skin," OU quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel said.

Now that Sam Bradford's Oklahoma legacy seems to be complete, Jones has seized the reins of the OU offense — and maybe more than that.

"I wouldn't say success has changed him. He's still the same guy," said Joey Halzle, Bradford's backup for two years and now an OU assistant. "But obviously some things change. You have to step up and be 'The Man.' You've got to lead the team now. You can't rely on Sam to get everything going, get it where it needs to go.

"You go from being a guy to 'The Guy' overnight. The difference between that is huge. Not that the quarterback is the whole team, but people look at you. You're now in the spotlight. You went from being kind of in the backdrop to the spotlight in one play."

Jones said "there's a little bit of relief" knowing that the job is now his and he's not wondering about the status of Bradford, who will miss the rest of this season and is likely on to the NFL after announcing Monday that he would have surgery.

"Just to relieve some of the uncertainties," Jones said. "It helps me just kind of focus in on that instead of whether Sam's coming back or he's going."

Jones,
a redshirt freshman from Artesia, N.M., made his fourth career start last Saturday in Lawrence, Kan., and delivered two touchdown passes and 252 passing yards against the 24th-ranked Jayhawks. He said the speed of the game is "getting slower and slower. So hopefully one day it'll just stop and I'll get to do whatever I want out there."

It happened quicker for Bradford — like his first game — than it is happening for Jones. But Jones has shown that he's far better when he plays after a full week of practice as the starter (OU is 3-0) than he is as the backup (0-2) or the co-starter (0-1).

"Last week I was extremely proud of him, going on the road in the Big 12, playing against a ranked team, playing the way he did, it shows the tremendous upside he has," Bradford said. "I think he's going to be a great player here."

Meanwhile, Jones is starting to grasp the gravity of his situation. Replacing the sitting Heisman winner, he said, is "extremely hard. Sam's a great player. He's one of the best quarterbacks to ever come through this school. Heisman Trophy winner. So I have some big shoes to fill."

Jones insists he won't try to be Bradford, on the field or in the locker room. Leadership, he said, "comes from within. ... You've got to kind of step up and do it your own way, figure out what your way is."

Said Bradford, "I think he's done a tremendous job, especially stepping up and being a leader of this team."

So do many of Jones' teammates.

"Sam's return (against Baylor and Texas) was icing on the cake. It was great to have him," senior offensive tackle Trent Williams said. "But it's Landry's team. He's a great leader. He's a great quarterback. He's going to step up."

More than just on the field and in the locker room, Bradford is arguably the most popular Sooner ever. But even there, Jones is beginning fitting in.

"You live with the spotlight, but not everyone handles the spotlight the same way," Halzle said. "People can go two different directions with that. He's done well with it."



OU vs. Kansas State



6 p.m. Saturday

TV: FSOK-27

Radio: KMOD 97.5fm, KtBZ am1430

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

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COMMENTS 
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10 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you.  -- Web Editor Jason Collington
 

 
Report Comment
pat, Kiefer (10/27/2009 8:33:54 AM)
BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!
Report Comment
HONES, T-Town (10/27/2009 9:37:05 AM)
Way to go, Landry. Lead on. Sam? Thank you, Sir, and may you prosper over and over again!
Report Comment
SoonerDJ, Lisbon, Portugal (10/27/2009 9:00:01 AM)
Got pics to prove it lovethemsooners?
Report Comment
yep, Tulsa County (10/27/2009 10:53:16 AM)
He shaved the stache? No, say it ain't so!
Report Comment
lovethemsooners, Fayetteville (10/27/2009 6:11:13 AM)
I know this. Landry's woman is FINE!!!!
Report Comment
forkandknife, Tulsa (10/27/2009 1:36:20 PM)
Hope he does the team some good.
HOOK EM' HORNS!
Report Comment
Whoknew?, Tulsa (10/27/2009 12:08:13 PM)
Jay is Jason White an assistant coach for OU?
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (10/27/2009 12:46:32 PM)
Take us onward and upward Landry.

BOOMER SOONER!!!
Report Comment
Jay of Tulsa, (10/27/2009 10:09:28 AM)
Does anyone but me find it odd that OU does a wonderful job of developing Asst. coaches??
--Gundy,Hyple,Halzle,White...--
Is Bradford the next great OU QB coach??
Report Comment
Jay of Tulsa, (10/27/2009 10:10:24 AM)
oops...Heupel..my bad..
 

 
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