Tulsa World: Jones will be OU's starting quarterback Saturday

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Jones will be OU's starting quarterback Saturday

OU's Landry Jones prepares to throw against BYU last month. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World file

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 10/1/2009 2:06 PM
Last Modified: 10/8/2009 12:57 PM

Sports Editor Mike Strain’s blog: Second-guessing Sam has become national pastime.

Dave Sittler’s blog: Sam Bradford’s father would like Sam to stay on a sideline a couple of more weeks.

OU blog: Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson says quarterback play is important, but offensive line and receivers must play well.

Poll question: Sam Bradford won’t start against Miami. What's your take? The Sooners are doomed or they'll be fine with Jones.

Sam Bradford hit the scene two years ago against Miami. Apparently, Bradford won't get another shot at the Hurricanes.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said on Thursday that Landry Jones will start at quarterback when the No. 8-ranked Sooners play Saturday at No. 17 Miami.

"Sam has made daily progress, but we don't feel like he's quite where he needs to be yet," Stoops said in a press release. "Our team has a lot of confidence in Landry's ability and we're looking forward to going into the game with him at quarterback. Our approach will be the same that it has been in the last two games."

On Tuesday, Stoops said he wouldn't rule out the possibility of using two quarterbacks against Miami. But in an e-mail this afternoon, OU Senior Associate Athletics Director for Communications Kenny Mossman wrote that it's "unlikely" Bradford will be in uniform for the game.

Bradford has been out of action since he injured his throwing shoulder in the season-opener against BYU on Sept. 5. Classified as a Grade 2 or 3 separation, Bradford's prognosis was to miss 2-4 weeks. The 2008 Heisman Trophy winner resumed light throwing last week and only this week returned to practice. During drills this week, he split first-team reps with Jones as the Sooner coaches tried to evaluate Bradford's ability to operate the game plan.

"No one's gonna play if they're not healthy and ready to go," offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said on Tuesday. ". . . A guy coming off an injury, if there are throws he can't make, you either take those throws out or you say, 'Look, if you can't make the throws, the guy doesn't play.'"

In a Wednesday report by CBS Sportsline columnist Dennis Dodd, Bradford's father, Kent Bradford, said he didn't see the harm in his son waiting another two weeks before returning to the starting lineup. That would put Bradford in the center of the storm for the Oct. 17 showdown with No. 2-ranked Texas.

The Sooners host Baylor next week in their Big 12 Conference opener.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said this week that Bradford not playing is "eating and gnawing at his gut," and he surely wanted to play in the Sooners' first non-conference road game against a ranked opponent since 2006.

His breakout game came against the 'Canes in 2007. As a redshirt freshman going up against a rebuilding Miami team in coach Randy Shannon's first season, Bradford's second start resulted in a 51-13 victory over the Hurricanes. He completed 19-of-25 passes for 205 yards and tied a school record with five touchdown throws. During that game, he broke Jason White's school mark for consecutive completions with 22 (including 18 in a row the week before against North Texas).

With Jones, the Sooners don't have to alter their offense. Jones replaced Bradford in the second half against BYU and looked mostly strong, though his teammates continued to founder. Jones started in Bradford's place in games against Idaho State and Tulsa and won the hearts of Sooner fans by completing 62.3 percent of his passes, averaging 311 yards per game and throwing nine touchdowns — including six against TU, which broke Bradford's previous school record of five.

Jones has operated the offense well and spread the ball to get more players involved, but interceptions — he's thrown three, all on bad throws — might be a concern against a fast and talented Miami team.

"I think the time Landry's gotten under his belt has been good," Wilson said. "We're sitting in a pretty good situation because, realistically, you see two guys that give you a chance. One guy's a great player, and one guy's shown, short-term, that he can play great football and winning football. It'd be nice to continue to see him in time in bigger games and against greater opponents."

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS

Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Jones named OU starter," which was published on 10/2/2009. So far, 56 comments have been made.

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