If Sam Bradford doesn't improve by the time he's a senior

[Widescreen]

will you be disappointed? I won't. He's already outplaying most senior QB's.

[BoulderSooner79]

will you be disappointed? I won't. He's already outplaying most senior QB's.

I'd be disappointed if any freshman player does not improve with experience, but I can't imagine that being the case with Sam (baring injury). I'm sure Sam would be the first one to say he can get better. It won't show up in the numbers, but it will be the difference in making a critical play under pressure in a close game.

[rubyspirit]

You must improve over time, no matter how good you are at a particular job/task. Maybe he can incorporate some runs in his game, or even help the coaches make up some plays.

We really need to add some sneaky calls in our play. A few young ideas would help!

[Pigface1]

He'll improve on reading defenses, picking up where the blitz is coming from, etc.

[hink4769]

I'd be more interested in seeing the defense improve than Sam. Sam played at a championship-caliber level this year, other parts of the team need to catch up to him. I'm not worried about him regressing ala Colt McCoy either. He had a seemless transition from Kelly to Chaney as the big play threat last night and Gresham we'll be around too.

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

He'll improve on reading defenses, picking up where the blitz is coming from, etc.


I don't expect him to lead the nation in pass efficiency again if that is the expectation but I agree it isn't that his best games will be any better but it will be that he won't have as many negative plays (not that there was a ton).

Actually I expect Nichol and Jones will push for the job in the next couple years so Bradford will have to continue to work in order to keep his job...which is a good thing.

[MextheBulldog]

Problem is WVa just set the blueprint for beating our o-line and Sammy. My guess is OU will see much more 3-3-5 over the next years. And it pains me to say this, but at times Sammy looked very much like Chris "Statue" Weinke back there in the pocket.

[swardboy]

Sam's 4.0 gpa, plus his unfreshmanlike year prove he's a very focused individual. I'd feel better if he lost that "deer in the headlights" look I feel I'm seeing a lot of however.

It will be interesting to see if Stoops takes a Sam's the man approach to spring practice or a "wide open" stance on positions.

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

Problem is WVa just set the blueprint for beating our o-line and Sammy. My guess is OU will see much more 3-3-5 over the next years. And it pains me to say this, but at times Sammy looked very much like Chris "Statue" Weinke back there in the pocket.


I don't know that we will see a lot of 3-3-5. A team might try for a few plays against OU but you have to recruit different personnel to run it. In a 3-3-5 you don't really have any DEs. Teams will "try" to duplicate what WV did in this game but I don't see teams switiching to that scheme for a whole season. I'd love to see some team like OSU try...

I think the blueprint for beating our line is to play them when they don't think they have something to prove. Some of the story last night was scheme but I think in the end WVU simply wanted it more.

[LittleWingSooner]

He'll only get better.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Problem is WVa just set the blueprint for beating our o-line and Sammy. My guess is OU will see much more 3-3-5 over the next years. And it pains me to say this, but at times Sammy looked very much like Chris "Statue" Weinke back there in the pocket.

I don't see it that way.

West Virginia pinned their ears back and got after us, that's no joke. But regardless of where a defense hits you, there's a place where you can hit back. WV's linebackers were trigger happy all night long, attacking the line of scrimmage, driving upfield on first looks, splitting gaps and blocks and for all rights and purposes, had us reeling. But on that, early on we stayed vertical with the wide receivers. We pushed corners and safties hard downfield in the early going and the WV front failed to react to the gigantic space that creates UNDER the safeties, OVER the linebackers. The bad thing is, between the penalties, pressure, and Sam being just a tad off, we never got to a point where we could sustain a drive long enough to flush the over deep for the in routes and TE zones to open up. And given the abject failure in run blocking, you couldn't really do it honest with playaction either.

In other words, the offense was there. Wilson's gameplan would've worked strictly by how he was setting it up and WV's reaction to what he was doing. But in the OTHER aspects of the game, WV fired so many body shots defensively and we depants'ed ourselves so much with penalties that one play couldn't set the next one up, let alone series for series. It was true textbook of defense dictating to the offense.

We play a cleaner game penalty-wise and find just a smidgen more run blocking, and those vertical routes open up a 100 yard, 3 TD game for Joe Jon or Jermaine. In other words, it should've been a track meet in the deep thirds. Instead it was a bar fight.

[BoulderSooner79]

I'd be more interested in seeing the defense improve than Sam. Sam played at a championship-caliber level this year, other parts of the team need to catch up to him. I'm not worried about him regressing ala Colt McCoy either. He had a seemless transition from Kelly to Chaney as the big play threat last night and Gresham we'll be around too.

I disagree - I don't think Sam played at championship level this year. In both the CU loss and the game last night, Sam did not step up and make a critical play under pressure. He makes the reads and throws accurately when things go well, but doesn't make that "geez, how'd he do that?" play when things break down. I'm not knocking him for that, most freshman wouldn't complete 70% against air. He generally had time and the receivers got open and he took advantage of it. I also don't think Colt had a big regression. UT lost an NFL caliber line and Colt did make some gee-whiz plays when the pocket broke down.

[azzbakwardz]

I think Sam needs to improve in road games is all, get more comfortable in that atmosphere, learn to block it out or thrive on it, thats about it, he played extremely well otherwise. He's just young, and I wouldnt take many around the country over him!

[soonerlaw]

Play wise, I think he was great, but I think he needs to step up a little and become a leader on the field. That will come with time and experience. As potent as our offense was, I never felt like we had a field general out there. I think DM will step up as well. It will be fun to watch those guys tear it up next year.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

How can you be a field general of crap?

Tell it to stop stinking? Stop being so peanutty? More corn?

If it was in Sam's character to put a fist upside the heads of his offensive (key word here) line last night, he would've done it. But the kid's ice cold. Laid back. And it's part of what makes him so damn slick. I wouldn't expect him to EVER be the helmet banging beacon of leadership on the field because his leadership will come in a quiet resolve regardless of circumstances. Kids will look to him as that wide-eyed look eventually melts off his face and find not a field general, but a solid rock with laserbeam precision on the cannon strapped to his right shoulder.

Kinda hard to do that when you can't see downfield because of the skirts blowing up all around you.

[MextheBulldog]

I think DM will step up as well. It will be fun to watch those guys tear it up next year.

Gawd we coulda used a little screen pass or dump off in the flats to DM last night. Or a 100% healthy MK. Or a....never mind.....

[canes4ever]

will you be disappointed? I won't. He's already outplaying most senior QB's.

He'll improve. Last night he was harassed on every pass play. The OU pass and run blocking was not up to its normal play,plus the penalties really hurt. Losing yardage to penalties created a lot of 2nd or 3rd and longs so WVA just pinned their ears back and came thru.Also a couple of times when SB did get time to throw,the receivers heard footsteps.

[Widescreen]

I'm not saying I don't think he will improve. I'm extremely confident that he will. I was just making the point that Sam is already playing at a really high level - particularly in terms of accuracy and decision making.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

I'm not saying I don't think he will improve. I'm extremely confident that he will. I was just making the point that Sam is already playing at a really high level - particularly in terms of accuracy and decision making.

Stop it, you sunshine pumper.

[Oldnslo]

I don't see it that way.

West Virginia pinned their ears back and got after us, that's no joke. But regardless of where a defense hits you, there's a place where you can hit back. WV's linebackers were trigger happy all night long, attacking the line of scrimmage, driving upfield on first looks, splitting gaps and blocks and for all rights and purposes, had us reeling. But on that, early on we stayed vertical with the wide receivers. We pushed corners and safties hard downfield in the early going and the WV front failed to react to the gigantic space that creates UNDER the safeties, OVER the linebackers. The bad thing is, between the penalties, pressure, and Sam being just a tad off, we never got to a point where we could sustain a drive long enough to flush the over deep for the in routes and TE zones to open up. And given the abject failure in run blocking, you couldn't really do it honest with playaction either.

In other words, the offense was there. Wilson's gameplan would've worked strictly by how he was setting it up and WV's reaction to what he was doing. But in the OTHER aspects of the game, WV fired so many body shots defensively and we depants'ed ourselves so much with penalties that one play couldn't set the next one up, let alone series for series. It was true textbook of defense dictating to the offense.

We play a cleaner game penalty-wise and find just a smidgen more run blocking, and those vertical routes open up a 100 yard, 3 TD game for Joe Jon or Jermaine. In other words, it should've been a track meet in the deep thirds. Instead it was a bar fight.

QFT

Should've been. Wasn't. WV's d-line gave our much balyhood O-line a swirley.

As an aside, and apropos of nothing, Pitt's D is pretty solid.

[bluedogok]

Problem is WVa just set the blueprint for beating our o-line and Sammy. My guess is OU will see much more 3-3-5 over the next years.
The vaunted "blueprint" doesn't mean much if you don't the personnel to run it or coaches are used to scheming it. Didn't OSU play a 3-3-5 scheme a few years ago under the previous DC?

Everyone kept talking about the Ravens or Eagles "blueprint" to beat the Patriots, well they didn't beat them and most teams don't have the same type of schemes or personnel that the Ravens or Eagles have. There are things that you can pick up but that doesn't guarantee anything.

[MI Sooner]

I disagree - I don't think Sam played at championship level this year. In both the CU loss and the game last night, Sam did not step up and make a critical play under pressure. He makes the reads and throws accurately when things go well, but doesn't make that "geez, how'd he do that?" play when things break down. I'm not knocking him for that, most freshman wouldn't complete 70% against air. He generally had time and the receivers got open and he took advantage of it. I also don't think Colt had a big regression. UT lost an NFL caliber line and Colt did make some gee-whiz plays when the pocket broke down.

I couldn't agree more. I'd also like to see him take a little more assertive leadership role, although it's often hard to get an accurate read of that from TV.

[PLaw]

I'd be disappointed if any freshman player does not improve with experience, but I can't imagine that being the case with Sam (baring injury). I'm sure Sam would be the first one to say he can get better. It won't show up in the numbers, but it will be the difference in making a critical play under pressure in a close game.

Well said. Clearly, Sam will have a hard time bettering the numbers posted this season. That said, after being at the game last night, I've got one area where he can focus:

Better game management. Not sure how much of this is because of the coaching, but when you are two TD's down, the QB needs to lead the sense of urgency to get the team back to the huddle and get the play off. Too often last night, they let a lot of time tick off the clock before running the play. Again, it appeared the QB was waiting on the coaches, but the body language by the team was pretty lathergic, as well.

BOOMER

[Vaevictis]

will you be disappointed? I won't. He's already outplaying most senior QB's.

Yes, I will be disappointed. Sam Bradford is a great quarterback, but this is NOT as good as he can be, and if he doesn't get better in four years, it means something went terribly wrong.

[Mongo59]

I don't think Sam is gonna have to worry about Kith Nichol being there to push him. The talk back here in Michigan is that Kieth is going to transfer.

[aero]

I'd be more interested in seeing the defense improve than Sam. Sam played at a championship-caliber level this year, other parts of the team need to catch up to him. I'm not worried about him regressing ala Colt McCoy either. He had a seemless transition from Kelly to Chaney as the big play threat last night and Gresham we'll be around too.

Defense is where it is won or lost

[Collier11]

The thing we should all be happy about is that SB has alot to improve on, namely playing better on the road and going through his reads. To go through an entire game without throwing 1 pass in the direction of MK shows he doesnt go through his reads very well. This guy could be a great one if he keeps getting better

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

I don't think Sam is gonna have to worry about Kith Nichol being there to push him. The talk back here in Michigan is that Kieth is going to transfer.

Who? Jack Bauer?


Well you've never been wrong before:rolleyes: ?

[OUMedMan]

Aside from the injury, did AD improve much between his freshman and junior years (i.e., between his first and last years?)

[Collier11]

Aside from the injury, did AD improve much between his freshman and junior years (i.e., between his first and last years?)


well, lets look at how well he did as a rookie in the NFL and tell me if he got better or not? You cant surmise that he didnt get better due to a drop in his production cus his offensive line the last two years wasnt nearly as good as his freshman year, nor was the qb.

[sanantoniosooner]

widescreen-

I haven't read everyone's responses, but this comes across silly to me.

If Sam doesn't improve, he will still be a good player.

The problem is that it says something about him and/or the coaching staff if he doesn't get any better. The skills are there, and should improve. The wisdom in the pocket should increase with every snap. He certainly didn't sense pressure in the pocket this season like I hope he will with more experience.

[Mongo59]

I'll be a little more specific. The talk back here in his home town ( Lowell)and on the local sports radio is that he is going to transfer.

[Collier11]

I'll be a little more specific. The talk back here in his home town ( Lowell)and on the local sports radio is that he is going to transfer.


those rumors have been flying around since he got on campus though, when do we decide they are BS?! I have heard from several people including his dad that he absolutely loves OU?

[TopDawg]

If teams start running more 3-3-5 against us, we'll get better at it. Part of its success lies in its relative obscurity.

[silverwheels]

Problem is WVa just set the blueprint for beating our o-line and Sammy. My guess is OU will see much more 3-3-5 over the next years. And it pains me to say this, but at times Sammy looked very much like Chris "Statue" Weinke back there in the pocket.

It doesn't work that way. You're not going to see a team abandon their traditional defense for one week to switch to the 3-3-5, which very few teams run. They're going to tweak what they have already and try to exploit our weakness(es). The most glaring one I can see right now on offense is the line. They're too big and slow and aren't fit to block in a Shotgun offense if we go up against a fast defense. Sam is not some Drew Bledsoe-type of statue back there. He can move, but it doesn't mean a whole lot if the OL is too slow to pick up blitzers, or in WVU's case, just to straight up block the DL.


As for Sam becoming better, I think it's a given unless we have a lot of coaching staff turnover in his last two years. Having a QB coach who won a national title without superstar talent will definitely help. It's all on him to work hard.

[cvsooner]

We pushed corners and saefties hard downfield in the early going and the WV front failed to react to the gigantic space that creates UNDER the safeties, OVER the linebackers. The bad thing is, between the penalties, pressure, and Sam being just a tad off, we never got to a point where we could sustain a drive long enough to flush the over deep for the in routes and TE zones to open up. And given the abject failure in run blocking, you couldn't really do it honest with playaction either.

In other words, the offense was there. Wilson's gameplan would've worked strictly by how he was setting it up and WV's reaction to what he was doing. But in the OTHER aspects of the game, WV fired so many body shots defensively and we depants'ed ourselves so much with penalties that one play couldn't set the next one up, let alone series for series. It was true textbook of defense dictating to the offense.

We play a cleaner game penalty-wise and find just a smidgen more run blocking, and those vertical routes open up a 100 yard, 3 TD game for Joe Jon or Jermaine. In other words, it should've been a track meet in the deep thirds. Instead it was a bar fight.

Words of wisdom here. Watching SB's sole interception...they're playing seven men deep on three receivers. Sam has to make a throw that maybe Tom Brady hisself couldn't do. The previous play he's a little high on Joaquin (who had six points if he makes the catch) and this down he's a little short, probably trying to compensate for the previous throw, where he needs to throw it to the back of the end zone for Johnson to make the catch.

Meanwhile, back at the line of scrimmage, JJ Finley is looking down field, unfortunately, with his back to Sam. If he turns and Sam throws it to him, he's gonna get mighty close to the end zone if he doesn't score. There are four guys rushing and seven way deep. It's sickening to see how much there was to take if we could just take it. I know Joe Jon stayed in to block but he's got no one to block on that particular play. Why he doesn't turn around and look back at Sam as the safety valve...I can't say. He's a senior, he should know better.

[TUSooner]

will you be disappointed? I won't. He's already outplaying most senior QB's.
I'd be extremely disappointed. He still had the Colt McCoy look in his eyes from time to time, and he needs to be THE MAN to kick start the offense when other guys are flat. That's not to overlook his fantastic year, but once he matures into a more confident, crafty, seasoned veteran, he might just be unstoppable and drive us home with #8

[sanantoniosooner]

If Widescreen isn't a better poster in 3 years I'll be disappointed too. ;)

[Widescreen]

If Widescreen isn't a better poster in 3 years I'll be disappointed too. ;)
I'm a man. I'm almost 40.

[Mongo59]

those rumors have been flying around since he got on campus though, when do we decide they are BS?! I have heard from several people including his dad that he absolutely loves OU?
Before he changed his mind to go to OU he was telling everyone that he loved MSU and that he was not going to decommit from them. This is a different situation. He has the talent to be a starting Div. 1 QB but he may never get the chance at OU with Bradford having the same years of eligibility left as he does and playing as good as he is.

[Collier11]

Before he changed his mind to go to OU he was telling everyone that he loved MSU and that he was not going to decommit from them. This is a different situation. He has the talent to be a starting Div. 1 QB but he may never get the chance at OU with Bradford having the same years of eligibility left as he does and playing as good as he is.


I personally would not hold it against him, he could be a 2-3 yr starter for MSU or someone of that stature, with SB and Jones coming in., I wouldnt blame him but you never know when a qb can go down either

[Mongo59]

I personally would not hold it against him, he could be a 2-3 yr starter for MSU or someone of that stature, with SB and Jones coming in., I wouldnt blame him but you never know when a qb can go down either
I completly agree. I just can't see him waiting and hopeing for the chance. There where a lot of schools after him and I'm sure some of them would still love to have him. With the O that Michigan is going to be running he would be a great fit there. The talk is that Mallet is going to transfer to UCLA from Michigan.

[misplaced_sooner]

If Sam Bradford doesn't improve by the time he's a senior will you be disappointed? I won't. He's already outplaying most senior QB's.

He absolutely has to improve, as does the entire offense. It doesn't look like the defense is ever going to be able to stop anybody so we will have to rely on outscoring teams to win.

Andrew

[dabien]

i didn't expect much of sam bradford,
after our santa fe wolves owned him every year with our boy reggie

[Shneeg11]

i didn't expect much of sam bradford,
after our santa fe wolves owned him every year with our boy reggie

That had more to do with coaching and scheming than anything, Dan Cocannauer(I butchered that) has said that pcn was the easiest team to prepare for every year since they ran the same offense for 14 years

[mrend]

I think that Stoops should open up the QB position again in the spring. If the race was that tight through out last year that it took so long to make a decision between the 3, and now that Kid Nichol has a year under his belt that like Bradford did before this season and it was still a tight race it should be even better this year and think that atleast Nichol, who Wilson made a quote about him being all around better than the other 2 but lacking the playbook(not in those exact words),. Why waste his talent by letting Bradford have all the snaps?

[Collier11]

I think that Stoops should open up the QB position again in the spring. If the race was that tight through out last year that it took so long to make a decision between the 3, and now that Kid Nichol has a year under his belt that like Bradford did before this season and it was still a tight race it should be even better this year and think that atleast Nichol, who Wilson made a quote about him being all around better than the other 2 but lacking the playbook(not in those exact words),. Why waste his talent by letting Bradford have all the snaps?


Really????? :rolleyes:

[Shneeg11]

I think that Stoops should open up the QB position again in the spring. If the race was that tight through out last year that it took so long to make a decision between the 3, and now that Kid Nichol has a year under his belt that like Bradford did before this season and it was still a tight race it should be even better this year and think that atleast Nichol, who Wilson made a quote about him being all around better than the other 2 but lacking the playbook(not in those exact words),. Why waste his talent by letting Bradford have all the snaps?

*sigh* :rolleyes: