Tulsa World: Bradford's instincts still intact

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Bradford's instincts still intact
He'll tackle if he must, even if it means a dogpile.

OU quarterback Sam Bradford (bottom) takes the hit that took him out of action last season against Texas Tech. Bradford's teammate, lineman Duke Robinson, is on top. Tulsa World File

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 11/22/2008 2:25 AM
Last Modified: 11/22/2008 3:47 AM

He'll tackle if he must, even if it means a dogpile.

NORMAN — The blank stare on Sam Bradford's face suggested he might have been waiting for a bus.

''Oh, that wasn't Sam," Oklahoma lineman Jon Cooper said. "That wasn't Sam on the side over there. He was out of it for a little while."

When the Sooners' quarterback tackled Marlon Williams after a fumble on OU's first offensive play at Texas Tech last season, his head hit the Jones Stadium turf. Williams fell on top of him. Then OU guard Duke Robinson, all 355 pounds of him, fell on them both.

Bradford came back in on the next series, but while discussing a play with quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel, it was determined that Bradford had no idea where he was.

"I just really wasn't all there mentally," Bradford said. "I didn't know what was going on."

Bradford said he remembers the game only from watching film — an important enough aspect of this week's rematch at Owen Field.

"It's a little frustrating to turn on the tape and see that after the first couple plays, I wasn't out there with my teammates," Bradford said. "So there's probably a little extra motivation to go out there and play well this year."

Robinson, whose weight is now around 330 pounds (to better run the fast-paced no-huddle offense, not a reaction to his Bradford pancake), has bad memories of that game, won 34-27 by Tech.

"I remember me stepping with the wrong foot, the ball coming out, the linebacker coming downhill," he said. "I saw a guy pick up the ball, I saw Sam chasing him and I was like, 'Don't do it Sam. I got him.' I was thinking about stripping the ball, but I just dove on him. But I never knew Sam was on the bottom of it. I didn't see that."

OU coach Bob Stoops said he's not worried about Bradford's noggin taking another freaky shot. This season Bradford has occasionally run quarterback sneaks (accounting for three of his four touchdowns) and even a couple of draws. Bradford said he doesn't want to tackle anyone, but he will if he must.

"It's an instinct issue. Nine out of 10 times, 99 times out of a hundred, he's not going to get injured or knocked out," Stoops said. "It's just one of those things. In the end, if it happened, he'd throw himself in there again. And hopefully Duke doesn't land on top of him."

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

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