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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Sooners' Bradford tests shoulder


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Sam Bradford

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Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford attempted to go through quarterback drills with Oklahoma yesterday as he rehabs from a sprained right shoulder.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said after practice that Bradford "was doing more today than he's done."

"Don't read anything into it," Wilson said. "There was more going on but I think as you do more, you see the next day where it is or (after) two days where it is."

Bradford has missed the last two games for the No. 10 Sooners (2-1) after spraining the AC joint in his throwing shoulder just before halftime in the team's season-opening loss to BYU. Coach Bob Stoops has said Bradford would be out two to four weeks, putting the timeframe for his return at approximately the same time as Oklahoma's next game at ninth-ranked Miami (2-0) on Oct. 3.

Bradford's teammates said he went through team drills for the first time since he was hurt Sept. 5, but his participation was limited to short throws without requiring him to make a full follow-through.

Redshirt freshman Landry Jones has replaced Bradford and set a school record with six touchdown passes in Saturday's 45-0 win against Tulsa.

COACH TALK

VOLS' KIFFIN, GATORS' MEYER STILL YAPPING

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin says he put his Vols in the best position they could be in to beat Florida. Then he took one more shot at Gators coach Urban Meyer.

Meyer said Sunday that he kept his game plan conservative in No. 1 Florida's 23-13 win after he felt the Vols didn't appear to be playing for a win. He also said several of his players had been hit by the flu.

Yesterday, Kiffin said he didn't want to respond to Meyer's comment. But asked whether he was worried about the flu also hitting Tennessee, he said: "I don't know. I guess we'll wait and after we're not excited about a performance, we'll tell you everybody was sick."

With 11:37 left in the game and Florida (3-0, 1-0) holding a 23-6 lead, the Vols recovered a fumble at their own 2. Kiffin turned to running backs Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown to pound out runs and catch short passes.

"They wanted to shorten the game. I remember looking out there and there's 10 minutes left in the game and there's no no-huddle, they are down, I think it was 23-6 and (there's no) urgency," Meyer said.

Kiffin said he preferred to turn to his tailbacks rather than the Vols' struggling passing game.

Hardesty later scored on a 17-yard run with 8:11 left.

"That was the best thing to put us in position to win, and we moved the ball doing that," Kiffin said.

ELSEWHERE

Boise State: Boise State running back D.J. Harper likely will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Harper, the team's second leading rusher, was injured in Friday's win over Fresno State.