Oklahoma transformed into QB U

Of all the Quarterback U’s during the years, the latest seems the most unlikely.

Oklahoma.

In the glory days of the wishbone, Sooners quarterbacks’ arm motion went sideways with a pitch more than forward with a pass.

Meanwhile, different schools took a run at the moniker. But look who’s firing away these days. If a program’s quarterback success can be measured by the number of times one of its guys becomes a Heisman finalist, Oklahoma has taken the lead as the 21st century Quarterback U.

The Sooners’ Sam Bradford, along with fellow quarterbacks Colt McCoy of Texas and Florida’s Tim Tebow, will be front and center tonight in New York for sports’ most dramatic individual-award announcement.

Adding to the intrigue is the expected closeness of the vote. More than 900 ballots were cast, and straw polls indicate a tight race.

At the Heisman ceremony, Bradford will be the third Sooners quarterback since 2000 to sit with the finalists. Josh Heupel finished second in the 2000 voting. Jason White won it in 2003 and finished third the next year.

“I don’t know anybody in the country that’s had more success at the quarterback position than we have, since Bob Stoops arrived,” said Heupel, the Sooners’ quarterback coach.

That was in 1999, and mark that year as the moment Oklahoma changed from a run-based program to a passing force.

Since then, only Southern California, with Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer in 2002 and Matt Leinart in 2004, and Florida with Tebow’s two New York trips and Rex Grossman’s second-place finish in 2001, rival the Sooners’ success at the position.

But where a traditionally strong quarterback program like Southern Cal has produced 18 NFL quarterbacks in its history according to pro-football-reference.com, Oklahoma has three. One of them is Troy Aikman, who transferred to UCLA after two years in Norman.

The last Oklahoma quarterback besides Aikman to complete a pass in the NFL? Jack Jacobs, who finished his career with Green Bay in 1949.

Bradford figures to have the NFL career that Heupel and White didn’t. Some projected drafts have him going in the top three, and Bradford has said he’ll explore his draft possibilities.

Heupel, who was drafted in the sixth round by Miami in 2001, didn’t have the arm strength. White endured two knee surgeries and wasn’t drafted. But Heupel is confident Bradford will carry the banner.

“Physically, he has room to grow, but he has the arm strength and can make all the throws,” Heupel said. “His accuracy is amazing, and you never see him overstride. He has the tools.”

Of more immediate concern are the Heisman and the Jan. 8 BCS national championship game against Florida and Tebow, last year’s Heisman winner, meaning Bradford is in the market for something won by his predecessors. White won a Heisman, and Heupel guided the Sooners to a national title.

“He won a national championship,” Bradford said. “That’s how you measure success.”