OKLAHOMA SOONERS
2008 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

(by Dave Sittler) It didn’t take Oklahoma long to capitalize on Wednesday's news that Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford was returning to OU next season instead of heading for the NFL.

Wide receiver Cameron Kenney told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he received a call and scholarship offer Wednesday night from OU. The Sooners also invited Kenney, who attends Garden City (Kansas) Community College, to make an official recruiting visit this weekend.

Kenney had given a verbal commitment to Auburn, but reopened the recruiting process after the Tigers made a coaching change....full story from the Tulsa World

Next season’s college-football preseason rankings, Heisman Trophy award show, bowl games and post-bowl games debates about who is No. 1 may look a lot like this season’s. The top three Heisman vote-getters, all quarterbacks for the top three teams before the bowl games, all have decided to return for another season and forgo the NFL draft.

Colt McCoy of Texas and Florida’s Tim Tebow have room to rise in the charts of Mel Kiper, Jr. and his acolytes, though there may be a cap on their appeal as mobile quarterbacks thought unfit for some pro systems. The real surprise was the return of Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, a year behind his counterparts in school but well ahead of them in online mock drafts. He had a legitimate shot at the No. 1 pick; last year’s top pick, offensive tackle Jake Long, got $57.75 million over five years, with $30 million guaranteed from the Miami Dolphins....full story from The Wall Street Journal

(by Eric Sorrentino) The return of Heisman quarterback Sam Bradford -- who would have easily been a Top 10 NFL Draft pick -- to Oklahoma was huge news on Wednesday for two reasons.

First, it sets up a mammoth Red River showdown against Texas, which will return quarterback Colt McCoy, on Oct. 17 next season in Dallas. As if these two schools, which displayed their affection for each other last season through various skyskrapers, public service announcements, etc., needed more fire to fuel this rivalry....full story from the Lawrence Journal-World

(by Tim Griffin) Life has gotten a lot better for Bob Stoops over the last week.

Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford announced Wednesday he will be returning to Oklahoma for another season. The gloom of another BCS bowl loss for the Oklahoma coach was brightened considerably Wednesday when Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford and three other key Oklahoma players announced they are returning to school after considering declaring for the NFL draft.

Bradford clearly is the biggest catch, although the returns to school of tackle Trent Williams, tight end Jermaine Gresham and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy all should bolster the Sooners' bid to continue their recent dynasty of three-straight Big 12 championships....full story from ESPN

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford announced this afternoon that he will return to Oklahoma next season.

As a third-year sophomore, Bradford was eligible to enter the NFL draft this spring. But he said he'll be back for his junior season.

"These have been three of the best years of my life and I don't see a reason to cut this short," Bradford said....full story from the Austin American-Statesman

(by Mason Levinson) University of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford wants to emulate Jason White, who led the Sooners to a second national championship game appearance the year after he won the 2003 Heisman Trophy.

Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, said yesterday he’ll return for his junior year. White’s feat was repeated the following year by Matt Leinart, who led the University of Southern California to the Bowl Championship Series title game in 2005, the year after he won the trophy.....full story from Bloomberg.com

(by Steven Jones) After leading the highest scoring offense in the modern era this season, Bradford said he will be returning to OU in 2009 to play his junior season. Many had projected that Bradford would have been a first round pick in this year’s NFL draft had he left school.

"I dreamed about playing for Oklahoma since I was little and my three years here have been probably the best three years of my life," Bradford said. "I really feel that there is no need to cut this experience short. I'm really looking forward to coming back and competing for a fourth straight Big 12 Championship and another opportunity at a National Championship....full story from The Oklahoma Daily

(by Tim Griffin) There's some interesting banter among pundits about Oklahoma's recent loss in the BCS National Championship Game to Florida.

It marked Oklahoma's third-straight title game loss and fifth-straight BCS bowl loss. And it has helped continue the erosion from the once-sizable coaching reputation of Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops....full story from ESPN

(by Berry Tramel) Sorry, but I can’t endorse OU’s decision to play Brigham Young at Jerry’s World in Arlington, Texas, next September.

OU-Texas in the Cotton Bowl? That’s 80 years of tradition. But two OU games in Greater Dallas? Can’t go along.

All the critics who say moving football games to off-campus sites hurts the local economy have a point. I think the grandeur of OU-Texas makes it worthy to take a home game out of Norman every other year....full story from The Oklahoman

(by Brandon George) Oklahoma junior tight end Jermaine Gresham and junior right tackle Trent Williams both announced Wednesday that they will return to the Sooners next season instead of entering the NFL draft.

Here are their comments via OU....full story from The Dallas Morning News

Forget all those inaugural concerts. The most pressing musical issue in the nation's capital Wednesday was whether a stone-faced senator from Oklahoma could hit the high notes in Rocket Man to pay off a college football bet.

Turns out he couldn't, but he gave it a shot.

Republican Sen. Tom Coburn did his best rendition of the 1970s Elton John classic before a couple of dozen congressional staffers and television cameras, making good on a wager he lost to Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida when the Florida Gators defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 24-14 in last week's BCS title game....full story from CBS Sports

(by OU Media Relations) Mayor Mick Cornett proclaimed January 13, 2009, as "Sam Bradford Day" in Oklahoma City. OU's Heisman Trophy winner joined his parents, Kent and Martha, in the mayor's office for the announcement.

The full proclamation follows....full story from SoonerSports.com

(by John E. Hoover) Bradford has until midnight Thursday to choose between returning to play at OU next season or jumping to the NFL.

In a Tuesday telephone interview with the Tulsa World, Kent Bradford said he suspects Sam knows what he wants to do.

"Do I think he’s going back and forth? No. No, I don’t," Kent Bradford said. "I just think he’s trying to become comfortable with his choice, I guess....full story from the Tulsa World

(by Adam Knapp) At the city council chambers this morning, Mayor Mick Cornett declared January 13th "Sam Bradford Day" in Oklahoma City, honoring the University of Oklahoma quarterback's Heisman Trophy win last month. Though OU has had 4 other Heisman winners, Bradford, who attended Putnam City North, is the first from Oklahoma City to capture the prestigious award.

Sooner fans across the metro are awaiting Bradford's decision on whether to return to OU or declare for the upcoming NFL draft. Many projections have the 3rd year sophomore being chosen in the top 10, if he opts to leave, but following another heartbreaking BCS defeat, OU loyalists hope he'll come back for another chance at the National Championship....full story from About.com

(by J. Robert Byrum) I am a huge fan of Sam Bradford. The kid has never done anything wrong in my eyes. He is exactly the boy you hope your daughter brings home, though you know she is bringing home the biker with the ponytail and "I love nothing" tattoo again next Christmas.

But no athlete deserves his own day—especially a college one that has not really won many big games yet....full story from the Bleacher Report