Yankee Bowl could arrive in 2010
The Big 12 and Big East could play a bowl game in Yankee Stadium, beginning in 2010.
The game would take place between Christmas and New Year’s, and feature the seventh-place Big 12 team and the third or fourth-place team in the Big East.
Bob Burda, the Big 12 spokesman, said he expected the league to sign an agreement with the Yankee Bowl. All that remains is approval from their board.
“It’s our intent to sign an agreement with them,” he said.
If the bowl game does materialize, it won’t be the first or only college football game hosted by the new Yankee Stadium.
Notre Dame will play Army in 2010. Army also has plans to travel to New York for a game against Rutgers in 2011, Air Force in 2012 and Boston College in 2014.
Bradford live on College Gameday
Sam Bradford gave a live telephone interview on ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday. It was short, but here’s what the injured Heisman winner had to say:
On when he’ll be back:
It’s really hard for me to answer that question, but everyone I talk to, there’s really not a certain timeline for as soon as I’ll be back. I’m just rehabbing as much as I can right now, and I guarantee that as soon as I’m ready to go, I’ll be back on that field.
Could it be longer than 2-4 weeks?
I wish I could answer that. There’s been so many different numbers, I think the main thing is I have to get healthy before I can play again. It’s just a matter of time for me to get healthy.
How would it feel to throw a ball right now?
I’m sure it would be pretty painful, but I think if I had to I could muster it up and throw it pretty good.
What are you doing now as a leader?
I’m just out there at practice every day chirping at guys, just making sure they’re out there still having fun and still working hard.
Lee Corso said the Sooners should sit him until Baylor and focus on winning the Big 12. Kirk Herbstreit said he would make sure he was healthy, but try to have him back by the Miami game, knowing that Oklahoma has more than conference title aspirations.
Jameel Owens Update
Rumors of Jameel Owens’ departure from the Oklahoma program have swirled this week. He did miss some practice, but as of today, has no plans to transfer.
Owens’ mother was not at his home in Muskogee, but his aunt, Ann Owens, says he has no plans to transfer. Owens’ family was still planning on making the trip to Norman for the game on Saturday. She could not confirm whether he would be suiting up for sure, but did say she expected him to be in uniform.
BYU’s Clawson sorry Bradford got hurt
Coleby Clawson probably didn’t expect one of his hits to be replayed on ESPN just over 2,700 times, but that’s what happens when you put the reigning Heisman Trophy winner out for a month 29 minutes into his season.
On Monday, the BYU linebacker told the Salt Lake Tribune that he was sorry Sam Bradford got injured.
“I really do feel bad, because he’s a great player,” Clawson said. “Sam Bradford is a great player and a good person, too. I feel bad that he got hurt, and I hope he can get back soon. As far as our game, it probably helped us win” because Bradford did not play in the second half.
Clawson said it is the “nature of the beast, playing football,” that players get hurt.
“I am always trying to get big hits, but I am never trying to put anybody out or hurt somebody,” he said.
Clawson mentioned that he received several negative Facebook messages from OU fans, but nothing alarming.
On Monday, coach Bob Stoops announced that Bradford had a third-degree AC joint sprain and would miss 2-4 weeks.
Bradford’s status unknown
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson addressed Sam Bradford’s status on Sunday, admitting he hadn’t spoken with the reigning Heisman winner since Saturday night, but not committing on when Bradford would return.
Wilson said the medical staff would continue to evaluate his throwing shoulder through the weekend, and determine a course of rehabilitation. He said the staff is currently gathering as many resources as they can to look at options, and what the timeline of those rehabs would be.
The medical staff would be pursuing every option, but keep both tight end Jermaine Gresham and Bradford’s future prospects in mind.
“Those are two tremendous players with great futures, and we want to make sure their best interests are taken into consideration,” Wilson said.
Chat: David Ubben
In case you missed it, here’s the archive of today’s live chat.
Video: Sam Bradford Uncut
Here’s full video of Sam Bradford’s press conference yesterday.
He talks about how he’s done in reaching the goals he came back to acheive, the Sooners’ new receiving corps, the shuffling offensive line, the insurance policy he took out on himself and more.
Two QBs leave ‘Canes
Miami Coach Randy Shannon better hope his offensive line holds up against the Sooners’ front four in Miami on Oct. 3.
Today, his No. 2 and No. 3 quarterbacks announced their intentions to transfer, leaving freshman A.J. Highsmith as the only back up to starter Jacory Harris.
The two transfers, Taylor Cook and Cannon Smith, both say they plan on finding new schools in time to start the fall semester.
Holder Matt Perrelli did see brief time in a game in 2006.
Last season, Harris completed 118 of his 194 attempts for 1,195 yards, with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
Your move, RedHawks
Bradford's"proposed" Heisman statue. (Courtesy of nowpublic.net)
Tomorrow night, the Ft. Myers Miracle, a Class A-Advanced minor league affiliate of the Twins in Ft. Myers, Fla., will be hosting a very special evening filled with gimmicks.
In honor of the Saint Down South and the approaching college football season, Wednesday night will be WWTTD, or “What Would Tim Tebow Do?” night.
I would like to shake the hand of the mastermind behind all the different promotions filling the evening.
The highlights:
- A local resident also named Tim Tebow will attempt to walk on some water. (No word on whether he’s filed paperwork for a name change in the past three years.)
- A Southwest Florida faith healer will be on hand to cure all illness or batting slumps.
- Promise rings will be handed out to all fans in attendance.
- The Miracle manager will make most of his in-game decisions with the thought process of, “What Would Tim Tebow Do?”
- The first pitch will be a jump pass.
- Tebow’s now-engraved speech titled “The Promise” will be played over the PA system numerous times throughout the night.
- Miracle gameday staff will resolve any problems by simply asking “What Would Tim Tebow Do?”
- Since Tim Tebow is perfect, (their words, not mine) the Miracle will be, too. If the Miracle commit an error on Wednesday, every fan in attendance receives a free ticket to the game on Sunday.
Gatorade will also be discounted (of course) and anyone wearing college gear can register for a chance to win tickets to the Florida-Arkansas game in Gainesville.
So again, I say…”Your move, RedHawks.”
Of course, Sam Bradford doesn’t have anywhere near the pop culture canon Tebow does, but I’m sure they could come up with plenty of good stuff.
What promotions would you like to see for “Sam Bradford Night” at Bricktown Ballpark?
Numbers check for returning Heisman QBs
History doesn't bode well for returning Heisman QBs.
Fellow OU writer Jake Trotter spoke with Jason White for today’s Oklahoman. White, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2003, is one of five quarterbacks to return to college football after winning the Heisman.
Sam Bradford will be the sixth.
Of course, as I blogged about at length last week, the only two-time winner is a running back.
Here’s how the five quarterbacks fared in their defense of the Heisman:
Roger Staubach: 1963 winner
1963: 107 completions, 161 attempts, 66.5% completion %, 1,474 yards, 7 TD
1964: 119 completions, 204 attempts, 58.3% completion %, 1,131 yards, 4 TD
1964 Heisman finish: Received no votes. I guess we’ll call that a tie for 11th. (Winner: John Huarte, Notre Dame)
Ty Detmer: 1990 winner
1990: 362 completions, 561 attempts, 64.2% completion %, 5,188 yards, 41 TD, 24 INT
1991: 249 completions, 403 attempts, 61.8% completion %, 4,031 yards, 35 TD, 12 INT
1991 Heisman finish: 3rd. (Winner: Desmond Howard, Michigan)
Jason White: 2003 winner
2003: 278 completions, 451 attempts, 61.6% completion %, 3,846 yards, 40 TD, 10 INT
2004: 255 completions, 390 attempts, 65.4% completion %, 3,205 yards, 35 TD, 9 INT
2004 Heisman finish: 3rd. (Winner: Matt Leinart, USC)
Matt Leinart: 2004 winner
2004: 269 completions, 412 attempts, 65.3% completion %, 3,322 yards, 33 TD, 6 INT
2005: 283 completions, 431 attempts, 65.7% completion %, 3815 yards, 28 TD, 8 INT
2005 Heisman finish: 3rd. (Winner: Reggie Bush, USC)
Tim Tebow: 2007 winner
2007 passing: 234 completions, 350 attempts, 66.9% completion %, 32 TD, 6 INT
2008 passing: 192 completions, 298 attempts, 64.4% completion %, 30 TD, 4 INT
2007 rushing: 210 attempts, 895 yards, 23 TD (55 total TD)
2008 rushing: 176 attempts, 693 yards, 12 TD (42 total TD)
2008 Heisman finish: 3rd. (Winner: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma)
Sam Bradford: 2008 winner
2008: 328 completions, 483 attempts, 67.9% completion %, 4,720 yards, 50 TD, 8 INT
2009: ?
Only Leinart’s numbers made significant improvement, and he lost out to a player on his own team. I’m not sure which fact is more remarkable.
Most predict that Bradford’s numbers will also dip, but the Oklahoma coaching staff says he’s made significant improvement since last season. That may be true, but I doubt those improvements show up in his stat line.
Most often, the toughest competition for returning Heisman winners is themselves. Heisman repeats are difficult for a number of reasons, but a major one is if the numbers aren’t there, Heisman No. 2 won’t be either. Why that drop occurs is irrelevant.
Bradford’s movement up and down the weekly Heisman standings should be fascinating to watch. How much effect, positive or negative, his 2008 numbers have on that will probably be revisited later this year.
