Tulsa World: Sam takes the lead

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Sam takes the lead

Sam Bradford will be a stronger, more polished thrower as a sophomore, coach Bob Stoops says. TY RUSSELL/For The Tulsa World

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 8/27/2008 2:32 AM
Last Modified: 8/27/2008 2:35 AM

Bradford interview: Listen to an interview with quarterback Sam Bradford, who talks about being named a team captain, the no-huddle offense and more.

John Hoover’s OU blog: Just who is this Sam Proctor fellow who has complicated the picture at defensive back?

Bradford’s growth has caught the attention of his Sooner coaches and teammates.

NORMAN — How many records can Sam Bradford make his own?

Can he improve the school marks he put up last season for completion percentage and efficiency rating? Can he top his streaks of 18, 21 and 22 consecutive completions — the latter of which challenged the NCAA record of 24? Can he surpass the 36 touchdowns — now the NCAA standard for freshman quarterbacks — he threw last year?

Of course, Bradford is now a sophomore. He was voted a team captain, thought to be (with teammate Gerald McCoy) the first sophomore to hold the honor at OU in a hundred years. He has 14 games as a starter in his pocket. He has been triggerman for one of college football’s best offenses for 12 months now.

And, virtually everyone says, going into Saturday’s 2008 season opener against Tenneessee-Chattanooga, Bradford is better than he was in 2007.

“I tell you, it’s been fun to watch him through camp,” head coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday. “I don’t think there’s any question he’s a stronger, more polished thrower. He’s bigger, his deep balls are higher and better.

He’s been very sharp. So I think he’s really got a chance to be special.”

Said offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, “He’s a lot more assertive in our breakdowns and our communications, articulating with players. Where a year ago, I think he was just trying to make sure he did his job right. He was just trying to win the job.”

“This year, he doesn’t have that ‘don’t make mistakes’ mentality,” wideout Manuel Johnson said.

Said tackle Branndon Braxton, “Sam is starting to open up to us a little more, be a more vocal leader, and we love it.” Bradford led the Sooners to an 11-3 record last season.

It might have been 12-2 — or better — if he had not been knocked out of the penultimate game of the regular season with a concussion. Had OU won that game — they led 7-0 when he went out but eventually fell to Texas Tech — the Sooners would have been playing in New Orleans for the national championship instead of in Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl.

It was there, against West Virginia, that Bradford was hit and shaken and missed open receivers. The same thing happened in a regular season game at Colorado.

Both were OU defeats.

Still, by all measures, it was a remarkable season for Bradford.He completed 69.5 percent of his throws and led the nation with an efficiency rating of 176.5. Both marks surpassed the numbers that made Josh Heupel a Heisman Trophy runner-up and Jason White a Heisman winner. He was intercepted only eight times in 341 attempts. He even earned the nickname “Big Easy” from his coaches.

“As good and as quick of a decision-maker as he was a year ago, he is a quicker and better decision-maker right now,” said Heupel, now Bradford’s position coach.

“He has a greater command of our offense and a better understanding of what we are trying to do. Not only that, but communicating those things to our young players. . . . I think he has taken a greater role in that.”

Bradford does not simply possess a greater grasp of the Oklahoma offense. He has more than just a stronger rapport with teammates. He is not only more experienced and game-tested.

He is a better passer.

“He’s throwing the ball extremely well, and his deep ball in the last week has really improved, even from the beginning of camp,” Heupel said.

“He has been very accurate with that. If you look at him as a complete player overall, he is stronger; his delivery has become more consistent; his footwork is a lot better, and that allows him to get the ball out even quicker.”

“My arm feels a little bit stronger,” Bradford said, “so I feel like I am able to put a little more air under the ball and get it there.”

And, he is more of a leader, on and off the field, evidenced by his teammates’ selection of him as their captain.

“I really didn’t think it would happen this year,” he said. “I wanted to be more vocal. I tried to step up, and it’s something that I wanted to be. But I still kind of felt that I had a ways to go.

“But I guess they saw it in me and they felt comfortable with me as a captain.”

John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com

BRADFORD’S BACK

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is going into his second season as the starter. He is the Sooners’ first returning QB since Jason White in 2004. Other recent OU quarterbacks in their second season as the starter improved their win-loss record but not necessarily their statistics:

	W-L	Cmp.%	Yds-TD-Int
Sam Bradford
2008 (So.)	???
2007 (Fr.)	11-3	69.5	3,121 36-8
Jason White
2004 (Sr.)	12-1	65.4	23, 05 35-9
2003 (Sr.)	12-2	61.6	3,846 40-10
Josh Heupel
2000 (Sr.)	13-0	64.6	3,606 20-15
1999 (Jr.)	7-5	63.1	3,850 33-16
Justin Fuente*
1997 (So.)	4-8	53.5	1,018 2 8 -
1996 (Fr.)	3-8	46.4	1,271 8-10
Cale Gundy
1991 (So.)	9-3	57.1	1,557 10-7
1990 (Fr.)	8-3	49.5	904 4-3

* Fuente was the Sooners’ leading passer both seasons but shared time both years with Eric Moore.

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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Hard Harry, broken arrow (8/27/2008 7:17:46 AM)

"he's bigger, his deep balls are higher and better"?? really?

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