Witnessing a new era

[Mississippi Sooner]

I hope everyone can forgive me for starting another Sam Bradford thread, and I'll give yet another apology if another thread on this exact subject is already running. But, I think we are on the verge of an event that, to most generations of the Sooner Family, was simply incomprehensible a scant few years ago.

In gushing terms usually only reserved for sports demi-gods like Jordan, Gretzky or Tiger, the national press allowed all Sooner fans a sigh of relief and a burst of pride with the news that Sam guided all of his passes on a tractor beam (save the obligatory one that Tennell couldn't catch), and put on a show that even a rookie Montana couldn't equal. Lock it in, they all said, Bradford is YOUR number one draft selection of the St. Louis Rams.

But you know, I now find myself sitting here feeling a sense of deja vu for the early fall of that glorious National Championship year of 2000. In that blessed year when Bob Stoops led the Sooners back to their rightful place of glory, we had that one three week stretch that everyone knew would define the season. And, I distinctly remember telling everyone that would listen at the time that, although I always hoped for a nothing less than a win for the Sooners every time, I would be happy if OU could come away from the murderer's row of texas, Kansas State and Nebraska with only one loss. I felt that would be glorious, considering how low the program had been just a couple years before.

Now, here I have similar feelings for the greatest quarterback most of us may ever see at OU. Sure, I'd love to see Sam picked first, and perhaps signed to the biggest rookie contract in NFL history. On the other hand, the mere fact we are talking about a Sooner quarterback being drafted at all is so surreal to me, I'd been as likely to have believed we'd have a qb taken in the second or third round just three or four years ago.

We are OU, and the Sooners defined what perfection meant with both the split-t and wishbone formations. Our legacy was built on shear speed and power. Most of us remember just a short time ago when Cale Gundy put up passing numbers the likes of which most of us never dreamed only a couple years before.

Now, the Sooners have gone through a decade with three Heisman nominees and two Heisman winners at the quarterback position. Now, we seem to be approaching, at the very least, the reality of an OU quarterback being among the first players taken in the NFL draft. It is truly a new era at OU.

[Leroy Lizard]

Quarterback U?

[BoulderSooner79]

Quarterback U?

Yep, and if Sam follows up the Heisman with the #1 pick in the NFL draft, you know what every 5 star HS QB will be thinking from now on? ...







... I'm going to USC ! (and we'll go find the next Bradford :D )

[Leroy Lizard]

Yeah, but most of our 5-stars haven't done as well. Maybe this isn't such a good thing. Maybe Sam should hold up a liquor store.

[Crucifax Autumn]

He just said the 5 stars would still be going to SUC while we keep getting the Bradfords of the world.

[Collier11]

as it pertains to college football, there are no colleges better than OU at producing high level QBs. Hopefully from Sam on we will see a plethera of OU QBs in the NFL as well

[starrca23]

Wow...Sam is amazing (there is no doubt)...quarterback u?...there are no colleges better than OU at producing high level QB's?

Fact check please...We may be drinking a little too much crimson kool-aid.

[SunnySooner]

I think as long as we can keep Joshie coaching the QBs we'll attract high-level talent and develop them into...well, Sams. The next few years, as we watch Landry and Bell grow will tell a lot.

[Collier11]

Wow...Sam is amazing (there is no doubt)...quarterback u?...there are no colleges better than OU at producing high level QB's?

Fact check please...We may be drinking a little too much crimson kool-aid.

Name a college since Stoops has arrived that has done better at developing QBs

Heupel- Juco to Heisman runner up
Hybl- Rose Bowl MVP despite his shortcomings
White- Heisman winner, 2 time finalist
Bradford- Heisman Winner

Thats pretty salty

[Jello Biafra]

Yeah, but most of our 5-stars haven't done as well. Maybe this isn't such a good thing. Maybe Sam should hold up a liquor store.

leroy, what color is the sky in your world?

[XingTheRubicon]

USC - Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, John David Booty, Matt Cassel (usc backup), Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley.

[Collier11]

Basically equal there

Palmer- Heisman Winner
Leinart- Heisman Winner, 2 time finalist
Booty- basically a Hybl type, a little better perhaps
Cassel- Rarely played in college
Sanchez- One decent year
Barkley- Landry outplayed him last yr

[stoops the eternal pimp]

lots of overstatements in this here thread

[XingTheRubicon]

heh

[Jello Biafra]

lots of overstatements in this here thread

i just want to see what color he sees...:)

[Collier11]

Remember STEP, we are talking about college success, not NFL. Who has had better success at developing high level QBs than OU since Stoops has been here, we may not be the best but I dont see any better, do you?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

so by developing you mean taking the under the radar guys and making them into sumtin?

[Collier11]

Im just saying the level of college success that our starting QBs have had, 4 natl title game appearances, 2 Heismans, 4 Finalists, etc... Plus, a QB turned WR turned QB who led his team to a conference title and a bcs game :D

[stoops the eternal pimp]

If your talking just this era, they have to be considered....but while those numbers you've thrown up look impressive, 2 guys are the bulk of those stats

[Collier11]

3 guys silly willy illy

[Jello Biafra]

3 guys silly willy illy

slapfight :pop:


you guys sound like a couple of wet socks running into each other.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

3 NC games between White and Bradford
2 heismans- White and Bradford
Finalists 3 times- White and Bradford

[Collier11]

1 finalist Heupel, 1 natl title Heupel

So then, name me a college who has had better success, u$c would be the only one that I can think of...thats 3 top tier qbs that started 6 of Stoops 1st 10 years, Landry may well end up at that level as well

[Collier11]

slapfight :pop:


you guys sound like a couple of wet socks running into each other.

we use the wet socks for something completely different

[stoops the eternal pimp]

1 finalist Heupel, 1 natl title Heupel

So then, name me a college who has had better success, u$c would be the only one that I can think of...thats 3 top tier qbs that started 6 of Stoops 1st 10 years, Landry may well end up at that level as well

through this era, USC , Oklahoma....Have to throw Texas in there somewhere..

best of all time..

probably Spurrier at Florida
Edwards at BYU
Miami teams in the mid to late 80's

[Jello Biafra]

we use the wet socks for something completely different

ahhhh my eyes! my ears! my eyes! my ears....

[stoops the eternal pimp]

thats ironic..c11 cries out "my rears, my rears!"

[Jello Biafra]

thats ironic..c11 cries out "my rears, my rears!"

lol

[cheezyq]

Wow...Sam is amazing (there is no doubt)...quarterback u?...there are no colleges better than OU at producing high level QB's?

Fact check please...We may be drinking a little too much crimson kool-aid.

I'm not saying that we're QB U...but considering that much of our success over the previous 10 decades was predicated on a QB that threw MAYBE 10 passes all season long...this is a different standard that we're putting on the field, and the success rate is pretty remarkable for the short period we've been put REAL passing QBs on the field.

Interestingly, Gil Brandt compared Bradford's workout to Troy Aikman...who WAS a Sooner QB at one point in his college career.

[Mississippi Sooner]

For what it's worth, my original post was just me standing back and being amazed at how much things have changed at OU over a generation.

But, I do like the debate that has come from it. Really, who would have imagined 20 years ago that we would be talking about how dominate OU has been at the quarterback position over the last ten years. Remember when we were amazed at the lofty numbers Cale Gundy was putting up?

[Leroy Lizard]

So for this decade, we have Heupel, White, and Bradford. Two finished as Heisman winners. One finished second while another finished second after winning it the previous year.

I'm not sure there are many programs that can top that over a ten year period.

Kosar, Testaverde, Walsh, and Gino. But Kosar and Walsh only finished fourth in Heisman voting.

BYU had Wilson, McMahon, Bosco, and Detmer. Only one won the Heisman Trophy. The others all finished third.

USC had Palmer and Lienart. But who else?

[stoopified]

Im just saying the level of college success that our starting QBs have had, 4 natl title game appearances, 2 Heismans, 4 Finalists, etc... Plus, a QB turned WR turned QB who led his team to a conference title and a bcs game :DNow that you clarified sucess on the college level I agree.I was tmisconstrued you meant not only in college but the NFL and I
I was thinking WHOA NELLIE.Based on purelythe collegesucess I am in agreement.

Oddly enough the WORST QB in the Stoops era(Bomar) was also the highest rated.

[Jello Biafra]

Now that you clarified sucess on the college level I agree.I was tmisconstrued you meant not only in college but the NFL and I
I was thinking WHOA NELLIE.Based on purelythe collegesucess I am in agreement.

Oddly enough the WORST QB in the Stoops era(Bomar) was also the highest rated.

someone is texting while driving ;)

[Collier11]

Now that you clarified sucess on the college level I agree.I was tmisconstrued you meant not only in college but the NFL and I
I was thinking WHOA NELLIE.Based on purelythe collegesucess I am in agreement.

Oddly enough the WORST QB in the Stoops era(Bomar) was also the highest rated.

yea, im not sure if everyone meant college success but thats what I was getting at