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Three Key Players - Oklahoma

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 5, 2009

Three Sooners players who should play a major role in the BCS title game:

Sam Bradford, Quarterback

His statistics are off the charts – 4,464 yards, 48 touchdown passes and a 68.3 completion percentage – and it's no wonder he earned the Heisman Trophy.

But Sooners offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Bradford's greatest quality can't be quantified.

"Outside of his physical skills, Sam can mentally process, play within himself, handle a lot mentally and not stress out,'' Wilson said. "That's why he's able to hold the ball so long, to go through all his reads and progressions. If a play is there to be made, he's going to make it.''

Chris Brown, Running Back

The Sooners' running game took a hit when DeMarco Murray (1,002 yards, 14 touchdowns) sustained a season-ending hamstring injury at the Big 12 Championship Game.

Talk about depth, OU's primary ball-carrier is now Brown, a junior who rushed for 1,110 yards and 20 touchdowns.

"We've got a great kid missing this game but also one heck of a player [stepping in],'' Wilson said. "We have phenomenal confidence in Chris. In the media world, he's our second-team tailback. But he's our leading rusher and he's sixth in the nation in touchdowns. He's not a bad deuce. He's not too bad.''

Jermaine Gresham, Tight End

He's too fast (4.73 in the 40-yard dash) to be covered by most linebackers. He's too big (6-foot-6, 261 pounds) to be checked by most defensive backs. Good luck, Gators!

Gresham has 58 receptions for 888 yards (15.3-yard average) and 12 touchdowns. He's a much-improved blocker, but his greatest skill is stretching the defense.

"He's very unique, an unusual matchup,'' Wilson said. "Some guys can block and others can catch, but he does both. He has so much pride. In his own way, he's not much different than some of our great players like Adrian Peterson. He loves to practice, loves to work, loves to get after it.''

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