Whether or not Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford returns to the Sooners this season, or if he has indeed played his last college game, seems to be anybody's guess.
The only thing that was certain Monday is no decision has been made on the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner or his injured right shoulder aside from the fact he will not play in Saturday's game at Kansas. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said during the Big 12 coaches' conference call Monday the medical team was still in the fact-finding mode after Bradford reinjured the shoulder Saturday. He suffered a third-degree sprain of the AC Joint during the season opener.
Other than that, the Oklahoma Sooners coach had little to say about his quarterback's status.
"They will have a lot for the doctors to look at and visit with here in the next day or two," Stoops said. "I'm not going to have anything to say until at least Wednesday."
Bradford was knocked out of Saturday's 16-13 loss to No.3 Texas during the second offensive series of the first quarter when got hit hard on a corner blitz. Some reports Sunday said tests have shown no additional damage to the shoulder, though that is unconfirmed. So far this season, Bradford has played in just one complete game for the 3-3 Sooners.
But Stoops, whose team has also been hit hard with injuries to All-American tight end Jermaine Gresham and star receiver Ryan Broyles, wasn't in any mood Monday to feel sorry for himself or the tough luck the Sooners have had so far this season.
Oklahoma came into the season as a top three team with an eye toward returning to the BCS national championship season, but after suffering their third overall loss and a key defeat to Big 12 South foe Texas even a fourth straight conference title seems in doubt.
The Sooners have lost the three games by a total of just five points.
"There are challenges, of course. Injuries are still an issue," Stoops said. "But I still feel we obviously played a great football team in Texas the other night and we are there with them toe-to-toe until the end.
"It's easy to see like any other one-point losses, we can be better in a play or two on either side of the ball. In certain circumstances we could be and we have an opportunity to be in a lot better situation. So it isn't like we aren't competing, it isn't like we are out of it. So their confidence level, they see they are not far off in making a play or two to be with these other teams that are ranked really high."
Stoops also cautioned against any notion the 25th-ranked Sooners are out contention for the Big 12 title. The Sooners lost to UT during last year's Red River Rivalry, yet they still ended up representing the South division in the Big 12 championship game after finishing out the remainder of the regular-season schedule undefeated.
Pulling off another similar run might prove difficult against a slate that includes a tough road game this week against No. 24 Kansas followed by back-to-back rival games against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State to end the regular season. Also throw in the uncertainty at quarterback with Bradford's injury and the youth of redshirt freshman Landry Jones and it might be near impossible for the Sooners to duplicate last season.
But Stoops offered his own spin Monday.
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Texas head football coach Mack Brown calls on a questioner during an NCAA football media opportunity Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. With the Oklahoma Sooners behind them, the Texas Longhorns look ahead to a two-game road swing at Missouri and at No. 14 Oklahoma State. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
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Texas head football coach Mack Brown speaks during an NCAA football media opportunity Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. With the Oklahoma Sooners game behind them, the Texas Longhorns look ahead to a two-game road swing at Missouri and at No. 14 Oklahoma State. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
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Texas senior quarterback Colt McCoy is shown during an NCAA football media opportunity Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. With the Oklahoma Sooners game behind them, the Texas Longhorns look ahead to a two-game road swing at Missouri and at No. 14 Oklahoma State. McCoy says he'll probably lose his the nail on his bruised right thumb, but the injury won't keep him from playing this week against Missouri. McCoy hurt the thumb on his throwing hand in the second quarter of No. 3 Texas' 16-13 win Saturday over No. 25 Oklahoma. He struggled through one of the worst passing games of his career, completing 21 of 40 for 127 yards with one touchdown and one interception. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
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In this undated photo provided by the University of Connecticut, Jasper Howard is seen. Howard, 20, of Miami, and another student were stabbed during a fight after a fire alarm was pulled during a university sponsored dance at the UConn Student Union just after 12:30 a.m., police said. (AP Photo/University of Connecticut) **NO SALES**
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In this undated photo provided by the University of Connecticut, Jasper Howard is seen. Howard, 20, of Miami, and another student were stabbed during a fight after a fire alarm was pulled during a university sponsored dance at the UConn Student Union just after 12:30 a.m., police said. (AP Photo/University of Connecticut) **NO SALES**
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Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall speaks during a news conference about the stabbing death of playerJasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, speaks at a news conference about the stabbing death of player Jasper Howard as university president Michael J. Hogan, second from left, Major Ron Blichter of UConn Police, center, UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway, second from right, and player Desi Cullen, right, listen in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, comforts senior captain Desi Cullen, right, during a news conference about the stabbing death of teammate Jasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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A student walks by yellow tape marking the crime scene where University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard was stabbed and killed early Sunday morning, in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, comforts senior captain Desi Cullen, right, during a news conference about the stabbing death of teammate Jasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Howard, 20, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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"We've only lost one Big 12 game," he said. "A lot was said going into our game that Texas had won three of the last four matchups of ours, but we have won three of the last four Big 12 championships. So obviously that game isn't the end all. It's what you do through the whole year and a lot can happen in this conference with other teams and other injuries. You've got to keep playing and you never know what can happen by the end of the year."
The Sooners are strong defensively, but a lot will depend on what happens at quarterback. There is a good chance Jones could finish out the remainder of the season as Bradford and his family figures what is best for his full recovery. Jones is 2-1 in starts this season, but the two wins came against the likes of Idaho State and Tulsa.
The competition will be much stiffer the rest of the way.
