FORT WORTH, Texas — No second thoughts for Sam Bradford.
At a time when top NFL prospects are getting ready for the draft, Bradford on Monday night was recognized with the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback — and looking ahead to another chance to lead Oklahoma to a national championship.
The NFL will have to wait another year — maybe two — for the O’Brien and Heisman Trophy winner. The 24-14 loss to Florida in last month’s BCS national championship is what occupies his thoughts, not the decision he made to bypass the pros for now for another season with the Sooners.
“It’s great to be in the game, but probably a lot more frustrating to actually be in the game and lose than if you weren’t in the game at all,” Bradford said. “I’ve thought about it probably every day since the game, just different things that could have gone different. ... I’m using it as motivation right now, work hard than I’ve ever worked to get back in that game.”
Bradford has thrown for 7,841 yards and a school-record 86 touchdowns in his two seasons at Oklahoma, including 50 this past season as a sophomore.
Though he would have been a high draft pick, Bradford decided last month to stay with the Sooners.
“Before I made that decision, I knew whichever direction I was going to go, I had to be fully committed, and I had to just look ahead and not look in the past,” Bradford said. “I felt like I made the right decision.”
Two months after being named the O’Brien winner, the magnitude of the award hit him as he stared at the list of previous winners while sitting in his hotel room before the banquet.
“It was really humbling. It almost took my breath away,” Bradford said. “It was hard for me to comprehend that I joined a list of football players that I idolized growing up.”
Among the former O’Brien winners are Florida’s Tim Tebow, who as a sophomore last year also won the Heisman and is also returning to the Gators, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Peyton Manning and Jim McMahon, the initial recipient in 1981.
Bradford shared the podium with Super Bowl-winning and former Notre Dame quarterback Joe Theismann, who was presented the O’Brien Legends award. Theismann spoke with the Oklahoma quarterback about the specialness of the O’Brien trophy.
“I talked about it this way,” Theismann said. “Look at the people who have gone before you, it tells you about the prestigiousness of this award.”
Bradford kept Tebow from repeating as the Heisman and O’Brien winners, though both quarterbacks will get another chance next season. What Bradford really wants is a national championship like Tebow.
While Archie Griffin is the only two-time Heisman winner, there have been three two-time winners of the O’Brien quarterback award, including Oklahoma’s Jason White (2004-05) and Florida’s Danny Wuerffel (1995-96). The other multiple winner was BYU’s Ty Detmer (1990-91).
Believe former Oklahoma center Jon Cooper, and Bradford could be around long enough to become a three-time winner with multiple championships. Cooper told an Oklahoma newspaper that he believes Bradford will be at OU for two more seasons.
“I’m going to cross that bridge when I come to it,” Bradford said with a smile when told what Cooper had said. “I’m not going to say right now I’m leaving for sure next year. I’m not going to say that I’m coming back for sure after the end of next year. ... I can tell you that I really am looking forward to this season.”
OU Sports
Related Photos
-
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford poses with the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award in Fort Worth, Texas, Monday night. Tony Gutierrez
Discussion
Bradford has no regrets
Decision to stay sitting well with OU QB
- OU Sports
-
-
Sooners did not show up to play
Texas had something to play for. So there’s that. If the Longhorns are to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, this was just the kind of game they absolutely had to win....
-
With W.V. set free by Big East, Big 12 schedule’s out and it’s backloaded for Sooners
With West Virginia finally receiving its release from the Big East Conference on Tuesday, the Big 12 Conference was finally able to release its conference football schedule for the 2012 season....
-
Red River rut
The rut Oklahoma has been trying to escape for the last two weeks continued to grow deeper with a 69-58 loss to Texas Tuesday night at Lloyd Noble Center....
-
OU gearing up for Texas’ Brown
If Oklahoma guard Steven Pledger had his way, tonight’s meeting with Texas will come down to two players: himself and Longhorn guard J’Covan Brown....
-
Sooners will have a dramatically new look up and down the order, on the mound
The clubhouse at L. Dale Mitchell Park hasn’t changed over the last year. Just about everything else has since the 2011 baseball season ended. The locker stalls have 20 new nameplates. The coaches’ locker room has two new ones as well. ...
-
Despite hard fight, UConn wins big
By its own standards, the Connecticut team that took the floor Monday night at Lloyd Noble Center was not in the same class as its previous incarnations. But a down year for the seven-time national champions is still better than just ...
-
Believe it or not, OU women are progressing
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma appeared plenty willing to embarrass Oklahoma for a third time in seven games....
-
OU reeling from stunning loss to Texas Tech
As Oklahoma’s players headed toward the exit at United Spirit Arena on Saturday night, most had dazed looks on their faces. The 65-47 loss to Texas Tech was something they didn’t see coming....
-
Husky challenge
No time might seem like a good time to face Connecticut. The Huskies are always terrific and this season will enter Lloyd Noble Center likely ranked No. 2 following Notre Dame’s Sunday loss to West Virginia....
-
Sooners put finishing touches on perfect opener
Oklahoma capped off a perfect opening weekend of softball on Sunday with an 11-1 victory over Kent State. The Sooners were led by another strong outing from pitcher Keilani Rickets and an offensive explosion by Allee Allen....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners did not show up to play
