Why OU football's Kevin Wilson views Sam Bradford as 'special player, special person'
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
NORMAN — Kevin Wilson has coached a lot of football. He’s ignited offenses, and he’s also been burned.
One such play still haunts him.
“I remember a hot protection with Sam Bradford against BYU in 2009,” said Wilson, his voice softening. “First game of the year. I remember that play. To this day. And I remember that call. And that one hurt me.”
BYU linebacker Coleby Clawson sacked Bradford, who landed hard on his shoulder. Bradford was knocked out of the game, and the Sooners lost. Bradford reinjured his shoulder against Texas and was done for the season. An OU team that was ranked No. 3 in the preseason finished 8-5. And Bradford was off to the NFL, picked No. 1 overall in 2010.
There was a point Wilson was making in reliving the nightmare. As OU’s assistant head coach for offense, and a mentor to second-year OC Ben Arbuckle, the 64-year-old Wilson — in his second stint with the Sooners — has a rolodex of plays that worked. As well as ones that didn’t. And those can be just as helpful.
Wilson brought up the Bradford anecdote on Tuesday as the Sooners kicked off preseason camp. Coincidentally, Bradford was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame the night before.
“Why’d it take so long?” Wilson quipped. “I guess there’s a lot of great athletes in this state.”
A botched protection aside, the Wilson/Bradford partnership was bountiful for the Sooners.
“Man, what a special player, special person,” said Wilson, who held at least a share of the offensive coordinator title at OU from 2002-10.
As a redshirt freshman in 2007, Bradford led the nation in passing efficiency. He threw for 36 touchdowns against eight interceptions while completing almost 70% of his passes.
Bradford’s second-ever start was against Miami. The Sooners smoked the ‘Canes 51-13 on that steamy afternoon.
That week, OU repped, and repped and repped a play in which Bradford would fake a handoff to DeMarco Murray and throw a pop-pass to Malcolm Kelly for a touchdown. Wilson knew what coverage the ‘Canes would be in. He knew Miami’s safety would bite.
Miami’s safety didn’t bite.
No problem. Bradford dumped the ball to Dane Zaslaw for a touchdown.
“I just remember Sam bailing me out with that,” Wilson said. “… I appreciate you making me look better than I am.”
In 2008, the former three-star prospect from Putnam City North won the Heisman Trophy. Bradford led the nation in touchdown passes (50) and ranked third nationally in passing yards (4,720). Both marks remain OU records.
The 2008 Sooners rolled into the national championship game at the Orange Bowl having scored 60-plus points in five consecutive games. The Florida Gators, quarterbacked by Tim Tebow, beat the Sooners 24-14.
“I still hear about that,” Wilson said. “It wasn’t a good game plan for me.”
But that wasn’t the story Wilson wanted to tell.
“In the press conference, Sam was asked to compare himself to Tim — two great players, two great people,” Wilson said. “And of course the answer is going to be, ‘Well, I’m throwing the ball pretty accurate, Tim’s a great athlete, great player, physical runner.’ That’s the answer.”
It wasn’t Bradford’s answer.
“I was raised not to compare myself to anybody,” Wilson remembers Bradford saying. “I try to be the best I can.”
Wilson was floored.
“Wow, you just said that,” Wilson thought. “What an answer. What a great player.”
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Why OU football's Kevin Wilson views Sam Bradford as 'special player, special person'
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos