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Video: A painful beginning for Sooners
Sam Bradford is injured as OU loses opener to Cougars.

OU quarterback Sam Bradford leaves the field after injuring his shoulder Saturday against Brigham Young. Stephen Pingry / Tulsa World

 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 9/6/2009  2:25 AM
Last Modified: 9/9/2009  4:53 PM
ARLINGTON, Texas — Oklahoma coaches routinely say their best players are Jermaine Gresham and Sam Bradford.

That was proven on Saturday.

The No. 3-ranked Sooners stumbled, fumbled and bumbled without their two stars and dropped the season opener 14-13 to Brigham Young.

Gresham, the All-America tight end, was lost to a knee injury during practice last week, and Bradford, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, went down with a shoulder injury Saturday just before halftime. Their availability remains unknown.

OU finished with 265 total yards Saturday , the program's lowest total since a 2007 loss at Colorado. The Sooners led the nation last season with an NCAA-record 716 points. But this game's 13 points was OU's lowest offensive output since a 28-10 loss to Texas in 2006.

Losing Gresham and Bradford — two established stars on a largely otherwise retooled offense — was too much to overcome.

"It's a blow," said head coach Bob Stoops. "You can't deny that."

It was a crushing defeat for a team that opened the season in the new $1.15 billion, Dallas Cowboys Stadium (with its crowd of 75,437) with high hopes of returning to the national championship game. Instead, they dropped a season-opener for just the second time under Stoops, the first since 2005. That season ended with an 8-4 record.

"We still got a whole season to play," said defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. "... Of course it hurts. Who likes to lose? Nobody likes to lose. But we've got to bounce back. People are gonna say whatever they want to say about OU. That doesn't matter.

"Losing two players like Jermaine Gresham and Sam Bradford, of course, is gonna hurt. But we can't make excuses for ourselves. We've got to come together, and certain guys gotta step up."

The Sooners — a 22-point favorite — came into this season with a completely revamped offensive line, and it showed. The front five alone was penalized seven times (two others were declined), including a crucial false start on first-time starter Cory Brandon at right tackle (his fifth infraction) on OU's final drive.

Oklahoma lost just one offensive fumble during the entire 2008 season, but Saturday fumbled three times in the first half and lost two.

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Still, the Sooners had a shot to win it. After BYU drove 78 yards in 16 plays to take its first lead of the night, backup quarterback Landry Jones converted a third-and-10 with a 12-yard completion to Brandon Caleb and a 22-yard strike to walk-on tight end Trent Ratterree.

Brandon's fifth penalty, though, set up a third-and-14 and Jones' incompletion. On fourth-and-14, Tress Way's 54-yard field goal attempt was short and wide left.

"We continued to make mistakes," said offensive tackle Trent Williams. "... We beat ourselves."

Bradford went out with just 7 seconds left in the half after throwing an incompletion, during which he was hit by BYU linebacker Coleby Clawson. Clawson, a 234-pound senior, leaped toward Bradford during his release and drove Bradford into the Cowboys Stadium artificial turf onto his right shoulder.

Bradford rolled around on the turf gripping his shoulder in pain and was assisted off the field by OU's training staff. The injury was announced as a sprained acromioclavicular (AC) joint (a shoulder sprain), and Stoops said further evaluations would be made Sunday.

OU concluded that drive with a field goal from Jimmy Stevens to take a 10-7 lead with 2 seconds before halftime.

Two plays earlier, Bradford connected with Caleb for an 18-yard gain, pushing Bradford's career passing yardage total to 7,937, just ahead of 2003 Heisman winner Jason White, who threw for 7,922. Bradford finished the first half 10-of-14 for 96 yards.

In the second half, Jones was 6-of-12 for 51 yards.

"I was really confident going in there," Jones said. "I thought we were going to win the game. I felt we were gonna get it done."

By comparison, BYU quarterback Max Hall threw two interceptions and was sacked four times but completed 26-of-38 for 329 yards and two touchdowns.

Bradford's 8-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Broyles on OU's third possession (following a special teams fumble recovery by Caleb) broke a scoreless tie, but three first-half Sooner possessions were killed by fumbles.

OU led 10-7 early in the fourth quarter after a Keenan Clayton interception, and the Sooners seemed poised to ice the game away. But after reaching first-and-goal at the 2-yard line, three running plays failed to score.

On fourth down, the Sooners were late getting to the line and didn't get the play off before a delay-of-game penalty. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said the officiating crew had difficulty spotting the ball and the play clock had already started. Wilson called it "my glitch," and Stoops said, "that's on us as coaches."

Instead of punching it in and sitting on a 17-7 lead with less than 12 minutes to play, OU settled for another Stevens field goal and a 13-7 lead.

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Vs. Idaho State

6 p.m. Saturday

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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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88 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "OU loses 14-13 to BYU; Bradford injured and out," which was published on 9/5/2009.
Report Comment
im4osu, Broken Arrow (9/5/2009 7:55:38 PM)
UH OH...
Report Comment
RomeosTune, Tulsa (9/5/2009 8:05:37 PM)
Should have went pro while he had the chance. Hopefully it's something minor.
Report Comment
Bullhead, Nicut (9/5/2009 8:26:55 PM)
Yeah, Romeo. You know what they say is the matter. Let's hope that's what it really is. The backup seems pretty good though.
Report Comment
RomeosTune, Tulsa (9/5/2009 8:50:07 PM)
He seems not really badly hurt since he's back cheering on the sideline. He still has to get through the whole season though. And when he gets hurt like this and misses games it makes his value go down. I said it last year, he better go pro now. Really a shame.
Report Comment
im4osu, Broken Arrow (9/5/2009 9:24:56 PM)
ITS OVER, 13 - 14 BYU.....WOW!
Report Comment
TK1, (9/5/2009 9:25:28 PM)
Tough loss for the Sooners. Wish Bradford a speedy recovery.
Report Comment
Maarek, (9/5/2009 9:25:43 PM)
I hate this. I hope he comes back soon and I am a rabid OSU fan. I want to beat them with him, not without.... fortunately it looks to be a minor injury.
Report Comment
insider9909, Cushing (9/5/2009 9:26:38 PM)
OU will be lucky to break .500 this year. That is the worst offensive line I have ever seen. They can't even remember the snap count. I don't know number 70 is but he is absolutly pathetic. He couldn't start for Union. Christ, I'm glad at least OSU won.
Report Comment
Jacky, small town Oklahoma (9/5/2009 9:30:07 PM)
Too bad..hated to see Bradford injured. I'm a Cowboy fan but surely hate to see the Sooners lose against anyone but us
Report Comment
blackshirtsin918, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:31:16 PM)
ooooooo!!!!!!!!
Report Comment
wilson, (9/5/2009 9:32:05 PM)
Even Bradford couldn't have helped tonight. 5 yard penalties by the O-line cost them critical points. I guess being in Cowboy stadium, they picked up Dallas's tendencies.
Report Comment
Jester1969, Broken Arrow (9/5/2009 9:33:44 PM)
Even though I'm a Pokes fan, I hate to see that happen with Bradford. Hopefully he'll be back next week. Wish him a speedy recovery.
Report Comment
oddy, (9/5/2009 9:34:57 PM)
Next year maybe they can schedule new mexico School for the blind.
Report Comment
Optimus, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:35:11 PM)
They better get the offensive line problems fixed in a hurry. We have 2 1,000 rushers, and we couldn't get them going. When OU was down at the goaline, why were they looking at the sideline? The coaches should've called the play, and let 'em go for it. They always audible in key situations, which usually ends up backfiring on the Sooners.
Report Comment
Cali Style, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:35:26 PM)
lmao
Report Comment
concernedOKIE, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:39:00 PM)
Once again Bob and his gang did not have the backup prepared. It happened last year at Texas and again tonight. Thought he would have learned his lesson last year. I am sure Landry will be a good QB but the coaches had no confidence in him. If you can't score from the one yard line you shouldn't win anyway. OU needs to learn discipline. Way too many penalties.
Report Comment
oddy, (9/5/2009 9:40:17 PM)
I agree
Report Comment
TyrasFatAx, B.A. (9/5/2009 9:40:44 PM)
Who cares? It's just a game, does OU winning or losing really affect that many peoples lives?
Report Comment
Optimus, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:41:27 PM)
Right on, concernedOKIE
Report Comment
Cali Style, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:41:36 PM)
Tyras- It improves the qaulity of life for a lot of people in this sate.
Report Comment
oddy, (9/5/2009 9:42:34 PM)
Not having a backup prepared to play is poor coaching. I say fire big game bob.
Report Comment
Shooter, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:43:34 PM)
That was one of the worst looking OU teams I ever seen. OSU and Texas are going to embarass them. OU will be very lucky if they win half of their games this year.
Report Comment
marlin, (9/5/2009 9:44:08 PM)
How about them OSU Cowboys!!!!!!!
Report Comment
Optimus, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:44:16 PM)
Now OU has to run the table to be mentioned in national title conversation. Granted, the chances are slim, but we can only hope.
Report Comment
Optimus, Tulsa (9/5/2009 9:45:53 PM)
Even though this column is in reference to OU, I do give major props to OSU. Congrats on beating the dawgs!
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