KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops made no bones about where he sits when it comes to the fictitious Internet story a Nebraska fan posted about Sooner quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Landry Jones.

“You have to start making people hold them to it,” Stoops said when asked about the fan being sued by The Oklahoman over the mock story.

The Texas man used The Oklahoman’s Web site masthead and posted a story using one of the paper’s reporters as the author. The story said the OU quarterbacks had been arrested on drug charges.

OU center Jon Cooper said he understood from the moment he heard about it that it had to be a joke.

“I just laughed. I think my mom sent it to me in an e-mail,” Cooper said. “If you know either one of those guys, you know it was hilarious because it was the farthest thing from the truth.”

The internet is becoming a bigger medium for sports fans. In Kansas City, there were nearly as many Web sites represented as newspapers.

Stoops said the power of the internet is something that must be controlled in a better manner.

“I think the way to police it is people don’t read it or don’t give it any validity unless it’s one of you guys and you’ve got your name on it and you can stand by your story,” he said.

Bradford’s team

OU will enter preseason practices with a proven starting quarterback in Sam Bradford. It is the first time since Jason White’s senior season in 2004 the position won’t be up for grabs in August.

Cooper said Bradford has taken a bigger role in the leading the offense since last season ended.

“As a quarterback, he has to take control,” he said. “I noticed it more at the end of last season and it carried over to this spring and this summer. He’s controlling the huddle and getting everyone’s attention.”

On the mend