Football: Bradford hungry to do more

How good is the quarterback talent in the Big 12?

So good that Oklahoma junior Sam Bradford, who won the Heisman Trophy last season as the best player in college football, readily nodded in agreement at what sounds like a silly suggestion:

He'll have to play just as well in 2009 to contend for even first-team All-Big 12.

“It's exciting to play as a quarterback in this league,'' Bradford said. “You like playing in games where you face another high-powered offense and a quarterback who's got the ability to answer every time you score.''

The watch list for the Davey O'Brien Award, which goes to the nation's top quarterback, came out recently.

Of the 33 candidates, six were from the Big 12 — Bradford, Colt McCoy of Texas, Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State, Todd Reesing of Kansas, Robert Griffin of Baylor and Taylor Potts of Texas Tech.

The most picks from any other conference? Four.

“We have the strongest quarterback corps in the country,'' Bradford said.

Former Missouri star Chase Daniel can vouch for that.

In 2007, Daniel was first-team All-Big 12 and fourth in the Heisman balloting with 291 votes. Last season? His only recognition was honorable mention all-conference, and he got zero Heisman votes.

So the standard is ridiculously high for the Big 12's top returning quarterback.

Add in all of the offseason wear and tear from being a Heisman winner and the fact that Oklahoma has four new offensive linemen, and it's easy to say Bradford can't possibly do as much as in 2008.

Don't take that bet.

This guy has it all. He's one of the reasons that, even after 30 years in this business, I can't wait to drive 7½ hours to Norman.

He's that good, and that good a guy — something not enough people know because of the national media fascination with Florida's Tim Tebow.

Bradford is smart.

In three years of school, he has had all A's except for one B, good for a 3.95 grade average in finance.

Bradford is an athlete of many talents.

He played golf six or seven times this summer. One of those rounds was a 4-under 68 at OU's Jimmie Austin Golf Club, one of the state's best.

Bradford is humble.

In hockey, Stanley Cup winners tote it from city to city to be seen and fawned over. Bradford, a former hockey player good enough to be scouted, wanted no such public display with his Heisman Trophy.

“When it was at my parents' house,'' he said, “people would call and ask to come see it and take a picture with it. But I've never taken it out.''

By the way, where is your Heisman?

“It's a big secret,'' he said, smiling.

Bradford is a diplomat.

One of his new best friends is Texas' McCoy. They roomed together this summer while working at the Manning Quarterback Camp in Louisiana, and they have stayed in touch regularly.

Normally, an OU-UT friendship is about as likely as a dog kissing a cat.

“If you had told me five years ago I was going to be friends with the quarterback at Texas,'' Bradford said, “I probably would have looked at you a little strange.

“But Colt and I can both see past that we play for rival schools.''

And Bradford, perhaps above all, is never satisfied.

The 6-foot-5, 223-pounder gained 12 pounds in the offseason to add “more pop'' to his passes. He labored over footwork and scrambling drills in the winter and spring to prepare for life behind a green offensive line.

Most comforting of all to Sooner fans is he still can't shake the discomfort over seeing a national title slip away last season.

“We lost two games last year,'' Bradford said. “I feel like I was responsible for why we lost both. So how can I improve? It may not be statistically. But I don't want to lose a game this year.''

Again, that's a bet you don't want to take.

Contact the writer:

444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com