Published October 03, 2008 12:30 am - Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford has put himself in the middle of the Heisman Trophy race. He’s the quarterback of the nation’s top-ranked team and he’s among the nation’s leaders in just about every passing statistic.
Bradford not campaigning
By John Shinn
The Norman Transcript
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford has put himself in the middle of the Heisman Trophy race. He’s the quarterback of the nation’s top-ranked team and he’s among the nation’s leaders in just about every passing statistic.
But don’t expect him to do much campaigning for a December trip to New York.
“You really can’t worry about it. You worry about going out and playing within the system and playing your own game and just helping the team win,” Bradford said. “I don’t think you worry about any individual awards. It’s all about the team.”
The Heisman talk won’t subside any time soon. Assuming the Sooners get by the Bears Saturday, there will be a ton of talk about in the days leading up to the Red River Rivalry showdown with Texas Oct. 11 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
Texas quarterback Colt McCoy has put up statistics through the first four games that rival Bradford’s and both are being mentioned as Heisman candidates.
McCoy honored
Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has been named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. It marks the third consecutive year an OU player has been named to the prestigious squad. Jacob Gutierrez was on the team in 2006 and Nic Harris received the honor last year.
“We’re proud of the players who have represented us on the Good Works Team, and certainly Gerald is extremely deserving,” Stoops said. “The fact that he was voted a captain as a sophomore speaks to the respect Gerald has earned in our program.”
McCoy was one of 22 players named to the team from around the country.
No spying
There used to be a theory that the way to combat a running quarterback was to assign a defender to follow him where ever he goes. It was usually a linebacker who wouldn’t necessarily drop into pass coverage, but didn’t go flying in like a blitzer.
OU middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds said there are no plans for that with Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin.
“We haven’t put anything in yet about spying,” he said.
Weak history
Baylor is 0-17 all time against the Sooners, but it is a different team this season. Art Briles is in his first season as head coach after a successful run at Houston. However, Briles last meeting with OU didn’t go very well. His Cougar was walloped by the Sooners 63-13 at Owen Field in 2004.