Interview: QB Sam Bradford

JH: As you head into the season, you’re getting a lot of media attention.  Are getting any training on handling yourself with the media?

SB:  We do have a media specialist who works with us and I worked with her last year.  That helps to kind of be prepared and have an idea of what’s going to come at you.

JH:  Some of it’s just common sense isn’t it?

SB:   Obviously most of it is.  You certainly not going to get up there and give your opponent bulletin board material. So, yea.

JH: Well, you not really a big braggadocios kind of guy anyway.

SB:  I just like to be myself and everything else takes care of itself.

JH:  How are you throwing the ball right now, we’ve talked a lot about the no-huddle stuff, but how are you throwing the ball?

SB:  I feel like I’m throwing the ball really well.  I feel like my arm has gotten stronger since last year.  I feel like I can put a little more zip on the ball, especially some of those field throws.   It’s coming off really well right now. 

JH:  Just the fact that you’ve worked for two years with Coach (Josh) Heupel and college training, and things like that.  How does that in itself improve you?

 SB:  Coach Heupel is a great teacher.  He knows a lot about the game. He knows a lot about mechanics.  He’s always there making sure I’m doing all of the small things.  He never lets my mechanics get off.  He’s right there telling me what I’m doing wrong. So having him there is a great help.

Media:  Coach Stoops says that Jameel Owens and DuJuan Miller are a couple of freshmen who will likely play this season.  What are your thoughts on those two young receivers?

SB:  They’re good football players.  DuJuan, he’s really tall and lanky and athletic.  He can get some balls that might be kind of iffy and make plays, he just goes up there and get’s them.  Jameel is just a good football player.  He runs good routes and has great hands.  He just has a knack for finding space and making plays.  So, I feel very comfortable, if those guys are out there, throwing them the ball.

JH: Has the offense clicked pretty well during training camp?

SB:  I think so.  We definitely hit a stride last week.  We made a big improvement from the first week and carried it over through this week.  I feel like everyone is playing well right now and playing well as an offense.

JH:  since so many starters are back, do you still have a curiosity about how this offense will do, or do you have a pretty good handle on what this offense is capable of.

SB:  You never know just exactly how things are going to unfold.  But, I feel that having so many starters back and spending last year with pretty much the same guys, I think we all know what to expect during games.  We all know what it takes to get ourselves prepared and play like we’re capable of playing.  So, I think it certainly help to know what we need to do to get ready.

JH:   Almost every guy we’ve talked to says they have more of a comfort zone because they know you’re back for your second year.  Do you have your own comfort zone with those guys in return?

SB:  Anytime you can return so many guys, and you’re out there with the same unit, then, obviously you’re going to have a pretty good level of comfort.  You’ve been in the huddle with those guys; you’ve seen how they react in big games.  You’ve seen the way they react in certain situations so, being together with them for a whole year and coming back certainly adds some comfort.

JH:  Duke (Robinson) says you’re meaner this year.

SB:  Meaner?  I don’t know if I’m meaner, but I’ll take it.

Media:   How much does the first game set a tone?  Last season, you couldn’t have asked for a better first game, scoring early and throwing a touchdown early.

SB:  It’s the first game.  It’s the most important because if we don’t win that one, we can’t them all.  So right now that is the most important game on the schedule and it does set a tone for the rest of the season.  It shows teams down the road how we’re going to come out and how we’re going to play.  So, we need to come out and play well.

Media:  I know you don’t want to give away anything that you’ve been working on, but are you a little bit anxious to actually use some of the new wrinkles that you’ve been working on during training camp?

SB:  It really is pretty much the same stuff from last year, but with all the experience back we’ve been able to really fine tune some things and polish some things that might a been a little rough last year.  So, it’s really going to be exciting to be able to get out there and show what we can do.

Media:  Is it safe to say there are a lot of new wrinkles?

SB:  I wouldn’t say a lot of new wrinkles, but there might be a couple.