Tag: Oklahoma (Page 2 of 6)

Pac-10 expansion coming soon?

June 7, 2010 /

The Pac-10 is now one step closer to expanding and possibly devouring the Big 12, as commissioner Larry Scott announced on the final day of the conference meetings on Sunday that university presidents and chancellors have given him the authority he needs to expand the Pac-10.

From ESPN.com:

“What direction that process takes still could go in different directions, everything from remaining as we are as a Pac-10 that’s got some very bright days ahead of it to a bigger conference footprint,” Scott said. “I have the authority to take it in different directions, depending on various scenarios and discussions we’re going to have.”

Scott wouldn’t give any timeframe for expansion talks — other than to reiterate that the deadline is the end of this year — or discuss specific schools. However, it sounds as if he will aggressively court some of the biggest names in college sports, including Texas. The Big 12 is in danger of collapsing and could provide the Pac-10 with six new teams or more.

The Big 12 reportedly gave Missouri and Nebraska an ultimatum of Friday to decide if they will remain in the Big 12. If those schools leave, the Pac-10 could be strategically situated to gobble up Big 12 teams looking for bigger opportunities, including Texas. The most widely discussed scenario has Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado joining the Pac-10. There was some indication Sunday that Baylor could replace Colorado under pressure from the Texas Legislature.

If the Big 12 largely stays intact but is under the umbrella of the Pac-10, then expansion wouldn’t be a bad thing. Because then you keep some of the key rivalries (Texas vs. Oklahoma, Texas vs. Texas A&M, Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State) in place, but introduce a broader spectrum of games (i.e. Texas vs. USC). True Big 12 fans will lose out on seeing Nebraska and Missouri play Texas and Oklahoma every year, but at least the majority of the conference wouldn’t be dismantled. (Much like if Texas goes to the SEC or Pac-10, while Texas A&M and whomever else heads to the SEC, which has already been discussed.)

That said, if the Big 12 falls apart and most of these programs split up, then it’s hard to argue for expansion. I discussed this topic more last week, but the words “rivalries” and “tradition” will mean nothing if teams like Texas and Texas A&M head to different conferences. College football was built on rivalries and tradition and I think school presidents and athletic directors should strive to keep that in mind.


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College Football, External Sports

Report: Bradford to have season-ending surgery

October 21, 2009 /

ESPN.com is reporting that Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford will likely have season-ending shoulder surgery.

Bradford, who won the Heisman Trophy last season, will address his future plans in a news conference at 6:30 ET Wednesday.

Bradford re-injured his right shoulder on Oklahoma’s second possession during a 16-13 loss to No. 3 Texas on Saturday. The quarterback had previously been out a month with a sprain of the AC joint in his right, throwing shoulder.

Bradford had been ruled out of Oklahoma’s game this week at Kansas (No. 25 BCS, No. 24 AP), but coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday any decision beyond that is yet to come.

Bradford had been projected as an early NFL draft pick, but decided instead to return for his junior season with the Sooners. He was injured just before halftime against BYU and missed Oklahoma’s next three games before returning to throw for 389 yards against Baylor.
He was hurt again when Texas cornerback Aaron Williams sacked him in the first quarter Saturday.

The debate over the next couple months will be whether or not Bradford will enter the NFL draft. He’s not expected to announce that decision at his press conference today, but he’ll certainly be probed about it now that his season looks to be over.

It’s always tough for a player to decide whether or not he wants to enter the NFL draft, but there’s an added element to Bradford’s decision because of his injury. Seeing as how this season didn’t go as planned, he might be inclined to return next year and try to lead Oklahoma back to the national title game. That said, if he returns to school next year, he risks getting hurt again and forgoing millions of dollars in the pros.

I don’t envy his decision.

College Football

McCoy vs. Bradford: Who will be the better pro?

October 14, 2009 /

With Oklahoma set to square off against Texas in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday night, I thought it would be fun to breakdown the quarterback matchup between the Sooners’ Sam Bradford and the Longhorns’ Colt McCoy to figure out who would make the better pro.

Colt McCoy vs. Sam Bradford: Who will be the better pro quarterback?

Arm Strength: Bradford.
Neither quarterback has elite arm strength, but Bradford can make all the throws, while McCoy excels at the short to intermediate passes. Lack of arm strength could be an issue for McCoy at the next level.

Size: Bradford.
Bradford is two inches taller than McCoy and nearly 15 pounds heavier. Bradford can probably add to his frame, where McCoy is essentially maxed out.

Accuracy & Decision Making: Push.
Both QBs have outstanding accuracy, get the ball out of their hands quickly and are excellent decision-makers.

Leadership: Push.
Bradford and McCoy’s leadership have been evident in how good their teams have been with them under center. Both players truly love playing the game and it shows both on and off the field.

Athleticism: McCoy.
Although Bradford does have decent athleticism, he loses this category by a long shot. McCoy has displayed excellent athleticism in his career while rushing for over 500 yards in each of his past two seasons. He’s also very mobile, which helps him elude pressure and buy extra time to find receivers.

Release: Bradford.
Bradford has a great release, but we’re probably splitting hairs in this category because both quarterbacks get the ball out of their hands quickly.

The Final Whistle:
Both of these quarterbacks have weaknesses in that neither runs a pro-style offense in college. So on most occasions, neither is forced to make difficult reads and neither has faced a consistent pass rush. They both benefit from playing in a conference with weak defenses and have out-of-this-world stats because of it. That said, Bradford has fewer question marks surrounding his pro potential than McCoy does. McCoy has never operated under center and that could be a huge problem once he gets to the next level. While Bradford doesn’t have the arm strength to zip the ball into tight windows, he can make all the throws at the next level. The same cannot be said for McCoy, who will struggle with the deep ball in the NFL.

In the end, the question of which quarterback will make a better pro comes down to what offenses they’re drafted into. If a team figures out how to use McCoy’s athleticism and accuracy to hide his lack of arm strength, then he could become an outstanding pro. But Bradford has more intangibles that pro scouts look for and thus, would be my choice to emerge as the better NFL quarterback.

Winner: Sam Bradford.

Which quarterback will make the better pro?
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College Football

Bradford officially ruled out against Miami

October 2, 2009 /

Oklahoma head coach said Friday that freshman Landry Jones will start at quarterback for the Sooners this Saturday against Miami. Sam Bradford, who suffered a shoulder injury against BYU in the opening week of the season, was making progress throughout the week but Stoops didn’t feel as though Bradford was ready yet.

From Tulsa World:

“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.”

“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.

This is absolutely the right move. If there’s any doubt about whether or not Bradford is ready to play, then he’s not ready to play and I applaud Stoops for not rushing him back onto the field.

Jones has more than enough weapons around him to succeed and Oklahoma’s defense has been fantastic this year. As long as the young QB doesn’t try to force the action by trying to make things happen in the passing game, he should be fine.

College Football

Rohde: Bradford should sit out entire season

September 10, 2009 /

John Rohde of the Oklahoman writes that Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford should sit out the rest of the season after injuring his throwing shoulder in OU’s loss to BYU last Saturday.

By sitting out this year, Bradford would be free to rehab at his own pace with far less risk of re-injury.
It would give Bradford a few months to clear his head and thoroughly examine his future plans.

A redshirt junior, Bradford could enter the 2010 NFL draft, or return as a senior if he felt he had something to prove because of the injury.

Bordering on the absurd, Bradford eventually would be eligible to petition for a sixth season at OU, a la Jason White. (If Bradford plays again later this season, he would have no sixth-year option.)

If Bradford has recovered enough to play in 2-4 weeks, by all means, come on back
If Bradford’s recovery falls behind schedule, I say sit this one out.

Rohde brings up good points and the smart thing probably is for Bradford to sit out the rest of the season. As Rohde’s points out, he could come back for his senior season fully healthy and then enter the NFL draft the following year.

Then again, telling a competitor like Sam Bradford to sit out the season following a year in which he won the Heisman and led the Sooners to the national title game is like telling a kid not to write on the wall after getting his new box of Crayolas. He’s just going to tune you out.

This has nothing to do with Bradford making the smart decision and everything to do with wanting to play football. He wants to be out there with his teammates and it’s going to be extremely difficult to get him to sit out when he knows his team needs him more than ever. I just hope for his sake that he doesn’t injury himself more when he does come back, because the young man has a bright future ahead of him in the NFL.

NFL

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