Oklahoma Reloads

 Mr Sam Bradford will lead the Sooners to another Big 12 title.

You'd think with the best running back in college football, Adrian Peterson, leaving for the NFL, Oklahoma would have problems running the football.  Not quite.  You'd think with starting quarterback, Paul Thompsen, graduated, Bob Stoops and his Sooners would have trouble finding a successor.  Well, think again college football fans. 

Just one game into the 2007 season and these two questions have already been answered.  Granted, Oklahoma did just beat North Texas on Saturday 79-10, but redshirt freshman QB Sam Bradford went 21 of 23 for 363 yards and three touchdowns.  With a fantastic defense behind him, Bradford showed what is needed for the Sooners to win this fall; short, crisp passes, keeping the mistakes to a minimum and hand the ball to another top running back

 The next Heisman Trophy winner for the Sooners is DeMarco Murray.

Speaking of the running game, the top running back in high school football in 2005 watched last year and waited patiently for his shot.  DeMarco Murray, a Parade first-team All-America and ESPN's No. 1 running back, showed Saturday why he is so hyped.  Rushing only 17 times for 87 yards (5.2 per carry), Murray was patient when needed and showed the burst in the open field (4.43 in the 40 yard dash) that will come in handy this Saturday vs Miami (Fla.) and new, defensive-minded coach Randy Shannon.  (The Sooners also still have Senior Allen Patrick who stepped in extraordinarily well when Peterson went down with his broken collarbone last fall.)

With the pressure in Norman always at fever pitch for a Big 12 and National Title, Stoops has his work cut out for him, but with Murray and Bradford stepping in and stepping up early, this takes the pressure off.  Well, just a little bit.

** Also on Saturday, Notre Dame freshman quarterback Jimmy Clausen starts for the Irish as they travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State.  Clausen, as coach Weis has said, gives the Irish the best chance of winning, but don't expect much of that this year.  With a young offensive line and a weak running game, Clausen will take his lumps.  Next fall, however, Clausen will show why he was the best quarterback in the country last year.  With a rifle for an arm and mobility to run away from defenses, Clausen will lead Notre Dame back into the top 10.  But like I said...not until next year.