NCAA Football- Oklahoma Quarterback Sam Bradford Reinjured, Uncertain

Last season’s Heisman trophy winner, Sam Bradford of the Oklahoma Sooners, is suffering from a shoulder injury that may leave him out for the rest of the season. Bradford reinjured his right throwing shoulder early during Saturday’s game loss against Texas 16-13. The same shoulder injury had kept him out of three games at the beginning of the season; now it’s not clear how much football Bradford will miss before his return as he faces the difficult prospect of a season-ending surgery. Bradford wasn’t at his peak during Saturday’s game, completing only two of his six passes in the first drive. However, he maintained a confidence and swagger that infected his team, and he threw the longest pass of the game – 64 yards – to DeMarco Muray. The completion seemed proof that, with receiver Ryan Broyles, the Sooners were enjoying the best offensive team they’d had in a long time. But a glitch in their defense changed everything. Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp called a play that left the Sooners completely unprepared and intensely vulnerable. He blitzed Aaron Williams to the left, where the cornerback had a clear shot on Bradford. Williams crashed into Bradford, who fell onto his frail right shoulder. Bradford lay unmoving, in pain, on the field for nearly a minute. Bradford’s condition was unknown after he left the game. He was checked by the team doctor on Sunday and later announced that he had aggravated the injury that had kept him out of the beginning of the season. He was scheduled to announce his plans to the media on Wednesday, but the young quarterback cancelled the conference, facing an uncertain future. Coach Bob Stoops has acted as a strong support for Bradford, stating that the player needed more time to gather information before making a decision about his future. Stoops would not indulge in speculation. "Sam's whole situation, he'll have something to say when he knows what his path will be, and that isn't right now," Stoops said. "I'm not the one to answer it. He will. And I will once he feels he's ready to and knows for sure what he wants to do." Bradford had one of the best passing season in the NCAA last year, throwing for 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns, making him a prime prospect for the NFL draft this year. But he had decided to return to Oklahoma in his junior year instead of entering the draft; he had hoped to gain a National Championship after the Sooners’ narrow loss against the Florida Gators last season. However, with three early losses against ranked opponents already, the Sooners are unlikely to find themselves in another National Championship game. “I think it’s extremely difficult for him, coming back for all the right reasons, wanting to have an opportunity to go compete on the football field, compete for championships and then having all those things taken away from you,” said Josh Heupel, Oklahoma’s quarterback coach. “There’s a lot of hard work that goes into it and when you invest that much, it’s going to be extremely disappointing. It’s not an easy situation for him, certainly.”