Will he or won’t he? It’s the million dollar question regarding Sam Bradford and the biggest game this weekend when No. 8 Oklahoma treks south to No. 17 Miami.
Bob Stoops remains coy in reference to Bradford, who suffered a “Grade 3” sprain in the season opener against BYU.
The initial report three weeks ago was a potential “Grade 2” sprain, which involves a tear of the acromioclavicular ligament and a sprain or partial tear of the coracoclavicular ligaments. Full motion of the shoulder and arm are said to return in 6 to 8 weeks.
With a “Grade 3” sprain, both acromioclavicular and coracoclavicular ligaments are torn. The injury is said to take up to three months to heal and even longer for shoulder strength to get back to normal. Opinions vary regarding surgery or no surgery regarding getting the shoulder back to normal, especially for athletes.
Sam Bradford left millions of dollars on the table returning to OU for his junior season. Had he bolted for the NFL, he’d be the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions and this conversation would be moot.
Bradford trekked to Birmingham, AL this past weekend to meet with renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrew for what’s being reported as clearance to play Saturday… but that seems rather far fetched. Stoops says he’ll announce later this week the status of Bradford and stated the game plan won’t change whether it’s the Heisman winner or freshman Landry Jones behind center.
If attempting to build a case whether Bradford will or won’t play, all bets point to Jones getting the nod on Saturday. Aside from Miami being an out of conference game and the Sooners needing to focus on Big XII play (Texas is on the docket in two weeks) – Bradford’s NFL career is on the line, as well.
Rush back too soon and you could do long-term damage to Bradford’s throwing shoulder – for what? An early season out of conference game? If OU is going to push for a return, look for it in two weeks against the Longhorns.
The Sooners may be a long shot for the national title game after that early loss to BYU, but the Big XII is still within reach and millions of BCS dollars are on the line. OU doesn’t need to beat UM, but a win over UT is a must. You can roll the dice this week with a back up, but you can’t do the same in Dallas mid-October.
We’ll see what happens, but if I’m a betting man I’d put my money on Jones being ‘the guy’ against Miami this weekend.
Absolutely correct. No Point to Push him to come back for a non-conference game. Responsibility of the coach. Plus it is not like the back up has been doing poorly. With Miami looking questionable last week they will play it safe and put the back up in. Great media hype but he won't play unless there is a big lead or trouble.
ou is stacked. Does it matter??
What are your thoughts? Do these youngs Canes bounce back or play flat?
I do believe they bounce back and make it competetive……
Agree it won't be Bradford. Doubt that really matters. We need to refocus and get back on track.Last week was part aberration and part reality. Our secondary looks susceptable and it seems like this needs to improve. In each game thus far it seems there are long ball possibilities against us.
Sure we got beat in all phases last week, but my point is every week so far secondary looks exploitable. It will be interesting to see if this young team can mentally put last week behind them. I sure hope so. I normally agree with your blog though to me no doubt we didnt want it more. Doesn't matter if it's raining and we are a pass predominant team. We were dominated on both lines of scrimmage and that's where the game was lost. What's your take on the secondary?
I enjoy reading the blog . Thanks.
I believe you're right Bradford should sit this one out but we shouldn't underestimate this Sooner team Stoops will prepare plenty and have his team ready to battle. I BELIEVE Miami will step up regardless who's under center for the Sooners. Please Canes Fans "STEP UP" and make the trek to the Shark for a Saturday night Prime Time Showcase. GO Canes!!!!!
ou is stacked. Does it matter?? What are your thoughts? Do these youngs Canes bounce back or play flat? I do believe they bounce back and make it competetive……
I believe the Canes come to play, but not sure that's enough for a team like Oklahoma.
Night game in Miami will help. Rowdy crowd that has all day to tailgate. Team that hopefully plays with a chip on its shoulder.
Whipple needs to prove he can establish the run with this squad. Three games thus far and the Canes have struggled to move the ball on the ground. Not good. OU will pressure Harris like VT did – as that's the recipe for a Miami loss.
Until these Canes can run the ball, this remains a one-dimensional offense and that doesn't bode well.
I wouldn't count out a Miami upset… and I do think the Canes come to play… but I just don't know if that's enough against OU. Don't really know much about this team right now, beating Tulsa and Idaho State, while losing to BYU.
Miami has an opportunity to do to Oklahoma what Virginia Tech did to Miami — capitalizing on the grand stage to make up for an earlier loss. We'll see.
Time for coaches to watch what UF did to OU last year and tailor that to what we can do. That measn put pressure on the QB and stuff the running game. OU's passing game is usually of the short variety, betting on a WR making the first tackler miss, and then break it for a big one (please tackle this week, fellas). Priority One: Stop #7 RB (can't think of his name right now) and make Porn 'Stache Jones have to make plays. We're not Tulsa, so we should be able to do some things.
One the other side, OU's D-line is big, quick and dangerous. I think their style plays into Whipple's hands nicely with his screens quick passes and draws. We do have to establish the run. Maybe we do this by his formula of throwing on 1st downs to loosen them up, then running the ball. That being said, the line has to block and the backs have to run hard.
We have to show up. This is a game we can win. OU has shown year after year that they can be beaten, especially now with a new QB. Once again, that means stopping the run first.
Being a big fan of college football, I hope at some point you touch on these non-BCS schools being Top Ten playing maybe one decent BCS conference team and then 11 nobody's. Maybe if one of them makes it in the BCS Title game with a super soft schedule, that will finally open things up for a playoff.
-Columbus Cane
Bradford is a junior…
Doesn't matter who is behind cetner. We are going to get torched. Our secondary is awful.
just a though:
In 2003 we lost to VT by the exact same score, won out and won a BCS game…it can happen!
Sooners destory us…doesn't matter who's at QB. They'll be ready to play…
This season is over for us. It was sweet while it lasted (the whole two weeks!)
Look how Miami has folded the tent the last few years:
Started Finished
2005 8-1 1-2
2006 5-2 2-4
2007 4-1 1-6
2008 7-3 0-3
2009 2-0 ?
Sooners destory us…doesn't matter who's at QB. They'll be ready to play…
This season is over for us. It was sweet while it lasted (the whole two weeks!)
… and who's to say Miami WON'T be ready to play? Canes were ready for the first two games and ran into a buzzsaw last week. Is what it is.
Your "logic" about the past few seasons is bogus. Miami wilted down the stretch the last few years due to injuries and a lack of depth.
You completely ignore the premise that Miami Football was on the decline from 2006-2008 and is seemingly turning the corner as the depth and talent is slowly returning.
This is year three of a 4-5 year rebuilding project. Attempt to have some faith. Rather bleak to feel the season is "over" at 2-1.
If that's your mindset, then turn off the TV, quit watching and quit spreading the venom and negativity.
I'm not telling you be a blindly optimistic idiot, as some are, but it's way too early to throw in the towel on what can be a promising season.
Many called for 0-4. Miami is 2-1 and will either be 2-2 or 3-1 after Saturday. 3-1 would be a stellar start and 2-2 is absolutely acceptable based on the schedule and preseason prediction.
Next four games are Florida A&M, Central Florida, Clemson and Wake Forest. Not exactly the gauntlet Miami started the season with…
Thank you 305! I think an 11-1 season is within the realm of possibility and 10-2 is very much a possibility. There isn't a team after OU that concerns me all that much! we aren't going to play for the NC this season and unless VT loses 2 more conference games we will not be winning the ACC, but we still could have a 10 win season and a pretty good bowl gmae invitation (possibly a BCS at large bid at 11-1). So please feel free to exit the bandwagon…we don't need you anyways! CANE FOREVER!
Caniac… 11-1…. 10-2… God-willing. I wouldn't necessarily predict that just yet – and maybe Citizen's prediction is right and this team fizzles down the stretch. We'll see.
I simply disagree with the notion that *because* the Canes fizzled the past few years, that it'll happen again this year. Especially at 2-1 with two good showings and one rough outing. It's way too early to 'will' this team to failure.
Miami didn't have Mark Whipple calling the plays the past few years… it didn't have Jacory Harris… it was a completely different team.
During Citizen's aforementioned stretch, the Canes had a lame duck head coach two of the years and then a first-year head coach (with sub par coordinators) and a second-year head coach (still struggling at OC, first year DC).
Shannon is in year three, he has two full classes under his belt and he's upgraded his staff. He's also coaching a team going through a brutal stretch schedule-wise and UM is 2-1.
Preseason, has we broken it all down, it'd have played like this:
0-4 — Unacceptable
1-3 — Flat out bad
2-2 — Acceptable
3-1 — Cause for optimism
4-0 — An absolutely dream
So far, "an absolute dream" is gone… but so it "unacceptable" and "flat out bad". "Acceptable" and "cause for optimism" remain.
People need to remain logical. All this knee-jerk crap and embarrassment that comes from a loss… it causes people to react poorly.
If you take it in stride and see this for what it is, things aren't as bad as some are painting it.
I swear I would rather listen to a UF or FSU or South Florida fan run their mouths after a loss than a fair weather, bandwagon Miami fan. get serious guys, we got our ass beat "PERIOD" but this season is not over! We have two quality wins already this year. How many QUALITY wins did we have last year or the year before? a week ago we were the next coming of the U and now we are a group of scrubs? I don't think so! I choose to believe that we are a good team that had a bad game not a bad team that had two lucky wins! I think this team can and will beat OU! Regardless, this team needs fan support not armchair quarterbacks. So either fan up or go find the flavor of the day team and join that bandwagon (I hear Alabama and Houston and Boise State are accepting applications). You are either with us or against us, so go on with the negativity! That is all I have to say!
Bad news, fellas.
Bradford's preparing to play. The only thing that will stop him is lingering soreness – that hasn't developed yet.
You are likely going to get Bradford.
Bad news, fellas.
Bradford's preparing to play. The only thing that will stop him is lingering soreness – that hasn't developed yet.
You are likely going to get Bradford.
Believe it when I see it. I've dealt with shoulder injuries and a month isn't enough time to fully recover. Granted your QB has had first-class treatment and rehab, that's a pretty serious injury to a throwing shoulder.
"Practicing" to play and being "game ready" are two different things. We'll see what the week brings. Either way, Miami isn't getting your boy full steam.
It'll be banged-up Sam – with two quarters played this year and no game time in just about a month. If that's what OU comes with, so be it.
I still don't believe it until I see it. Not with all that NFL money on the line. SB could lose millions if he comes back too soon…
Don't see any reason for Bradford to play in this game. OU needs him to be healthy and play against top tier teams of their caliber. Miami isn't strong enough yet to compete with a team like this. Maybe in two years at the earliest. Just too many holes in this team at this point. No matter who OU plays, we'll lose by 20.
Come on CitizenKane, the season is not over after 3 games. We lost ONE game. Best case scenario: we win out and get in a BCS slot as top ACC team or as an at large. Other things are possible as well of course, but we have a lot of games left. As far as Bradford playing…who cares? If he does play, he'll be out of synch big time after not playing for three weeks. So we either face a qb who hasn't played at game speed for three weeks and is gun-shy with an injury, or we face a guy who hasn't played anyone yet and who will fold under a rush. I'm telling you, Jones will throw quick slants, stops, or double moves. If we cover the quick throws and apply pressure, we win. Of course this is only after we stop the run. We can do this. After the past few seasons, how can you give up after 1 loss? True fans are still supporting The U and always will. I know you are upset (so am I), but there is still a lot to play for.
-Columbus Cane
Thank you for your response ALLCANES! I agree 2-2 not bad for this young team and I would predict we win 7 out of our final 8 games. Go 9-3 regular season. With a good bowl WIN. Go into 2010 a LIGIT top 10 team……
Honestly, I WANT Bradford to play. I'd rather beat OU with Bradford, than without, so the cowboy hats can't come up with excuses when we beat them!
If SB comes back our D is gonna REALLY hurt him……
SWAGGA will be back under saturday night lights!
Miami 27
OU 16
I agree with the post, Bradford has millions of dollars waiting for him in the pros. There's no need to risk coming back too soon for a game that probably means more to Miami than it does to Oklahoma. Besides, the way Landry Jones has played in the Sooners last two games has to give Bob Stoops confidence heading into Saturday night's showdown. Regardless of which quarterback handles the reins of the Sooners point-a-minute offense, it will be the toughest test Miami's defense will have this year. The Canes' defensive players need to man up and play ball like the fierce Miami defenses of yesteryear for them to have a shot at slowing down the Sooners. That being said, I have faith in the Canes.
Per Clint Hurtt, "Talk with your pads. That's all that matters." Now that is real swagger right there!
Let's get it done regardless who the QB for Okla is. The play of our d-line is going to be key.
Im sure you all have heard and as the illustrious 305 has predicated, Bradford wont be making the start Saturday.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4523206
Where are some of the idiots who were chiming in "anonymously" on this post, calling for Miami to get railroaded?
Show yourselves. Eat some crow, folks.
So pathetic that some of the biggest 'haters' around here are actually Miami 'fans.
21-20… 3-1 after four… what do some of you have to say for yourselves?
'haters' is just another name for cowards Chris. Leave them to hide in their hole. Because you know the minute we stumble they'll be back.
Pretty moronic considering even a USC stumbles (Washington game). This is the name of the game in college football. Preseason rankings are partially to blame. They don’t mean much. By game six we know the contenders verse pretenders. And finally our Canes are looking like contenders again.
But they’re not there yet. Old school Canes would approach a beat down game (FAMU) and do exactly what everyone expects them to do, beat down FAMU 50-3 with our second string in by end of the second quarter. If these current Canes come out of this game with say a 24-10 victory that will say a lot regarding all this “the U is back” and “we’ve got Swag” nonsense.
Once again, per Clint Hurtt, "Talk with your pads. That's all that matters."