Stoops: Prognosis for Heisman winner Sam Bradford still 1-2 weeks away

Stoops: Bradford prognosis 1-2 weeks away

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops says it will be a week or two before the third-ranked Sooners have a timetable for the return of Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford from a sprained shoulder.

Stoops said Monday on the Big 12 coaches’ conference call that the quarterback has either a Grade 2 or Grade 3 sprain of the AC joint in his right, throwing shoulder.

“A lot of it depends on how he heals and how he feels as he’s healing here through the week,” Stoops said. “In the end, it’s going to be a while before we know what the plan will be.”

Bradford was injured in the second quarter of Oklahoma’s season-opening 14-13 loss to BYU on Saturday when he was hit by linebacker Coleby Clawson. Redshirt freshman Landry Jones, making his college debut, replaced Bradford.

“The other night, I thought he handled everything well,” Stoops said. “(The offense) doesn’t change. They’re very similar styles of quarterback.”

The Sooners play Idaho State of the Football Championship Subdivision on Saturday in their home opener. Of more concern are games looming against Tulsa on Sept. 19, at Miami on Oct. 3 and the showdown with No. 2 Texas in Dallas on Oct. 17.

Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy, who finished second to Bradford in the Heisman Trophy balloting last year, said Monday he sent Bradford a get-well text message. The two became friends during the Heisman festivities last December and then while rooming together at the Manning Camp for high school players over the summer.

“I told him I’d be praying for him and hope that he gets better soon. … I wish him the speediest recovery possible,” McCoy said. “I hope that he gets back and plays as soon as he can, whether that’s for us or next week. I want him to be able to play because he’s a great football player.”

The quarterback who finished third in the Heisman voting, 2007 winner Tim Tebow of Florida, also had Bradford in his thoughts.

“A tough injury,” Tebow said. “Obviously, no one wants him to get hurt. No one wants that. We wish that he has a speedy recovery and gets back to playing. He came back for his (junior) year to do some great things, so I wish that he could come back and play it, too.”

Stoops also said it would be a few more days before the Sooners have a prognosis on second-team All-America tight end Jermaine Gresham, who missed the BYU game with cartilage damage in his right knee.

Stoops said doctors were consulting with Gresham, a top NFL prospect, before determining a treatment plan.

“It affects us in a big way, there’s no denying that,” Stoops said. “Jermaine’s a major presence and player and a go-to guy. It changes the complexion of our offense significantly, but you deal with it.”

Stoops said it’s way too early to remind his players that it’s possible for teams to rebound from an early loss and still get back to the BCS championship game for a second straight year.

“With all we’re fighting through right now, right now it’s just take it week by week,” Stoops said. “We’ve got a lot of improvement to do, just in our own accountability of penalties and missed basic assignments that have to improve.

“To look down the road for that as well as fight through the injuries that we have to, we just have to focus on this week and getting better.”

AP Sports Writers Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, and Mark Long in Gainesville, Fla., contributed to this report.