Heisman Winner Bradford Staying at Oklahoma
Heisman winner Bradford skips chance to enter NFL draft, returns to Oklahoma for junior season
Sooners coach Bob Stoops, who took the podium after Bradford, went as far as saying all of the Sooners' third-year players will be back next season.
"All the guys who are thinking about leaving, they're classmates of mine," Bradford said. "We came in together. We've kind of gone through everything together. We did talk to each other and let each other know how we were feeling."
When asked what he liked about college football, Bradford answered: "Everything."
"You come out here and get to play in front of 85,000 people everyday. This state is a football state. Everyone knows about Oklahoma football. I've grown up watching it," Bradford said. "Just having this experience and being able to live my dream."
Stoops said Wednesday was a more important day than signing day for the Sooners, bringing back so many players who'll play a key role next season. Oklahoma already loses four starters on the offensive line and three receivers from the nation's top-scoring offense. Losing Bradford, Gresham and Williams would have been devastating.
The returning trio represent quite a turnaround from last season, when linebacker Curtis Lofton, receiver Malcolm Kelly and cornerback Reggie Smith all left after their junior season. Only Lofton was a first-round pick.
"Not one of them went where they were projected on TV or what everyone talked about," Stoops said. "They went where their draft projection (from the NFL) was. None of them were ahead of their draft projection, but the TV all had them above their draft projection."
Gresham and Williams each issued statements through Oklahoma's athletic department looking forward to next season and addressing their hopes to complete or at least make progress toward their college degrees.
"I think they're sending a great message to a lot of other young people in the value of that last year or going as far as you can in your college career," Stoops said.
Each of the others will also play key roles in Bradford's success next year. Gresham caught 14 touchdown passes, including two in the BCS title game, to rank second on the team, and Williams could be the one protecting Bradford's blind side.
