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Griffin Drives Sooners

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By JOEY JOHNSTON

jjohnston@tampatrib.com

Published: January 24, 2009

The University of Oklahoma had the Heisman Trophy winner in sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford.

But the Sooners' dreams of a football national title were squashed in the BCS Championship Game.

OU might have the men's basketball National Player of the Year in sophomore Blake Griffin.

Final Four? National title?

Both are real possibilities.

The Sooners (18-1), whose only loss occurred against Arkansas, are facing a pivotal stretch. Today, the Sooners meet Baylor (15-3), then they go to Oklahoma State (12-5) for Monday night's Bedlam rivalry game. With a sweep, OU will have 20 victories and solid status to capture the Big 12 championship. And the largest reason for that is Griffin, a 6-foot-10, 251-pound forward who's averaging 22.3 points and 13.6 rebounds per game.

Wednesday night was a typical Griffin performance. In a 72-61 win against Nebraska, he had 27 points and 18 rebounds.

"Blake Griffin is a man," Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon said. "He should have gone pro."

Big 12 opponents should be that lucky.

But even Griffin realizes the extra year will improve his game - and his NBA stock.

"It gave me a year to mature, mentally and physically," Griffin said. "I think it will work out in the long run, hopefully."

And in the short run, OU basketball will be the beneficiary.

The Sooners might run all the way to a national title.

"Blake has a drive that I've never seen," Sooners coach Jeff Capel said.

Pretty fitting in a season when the Final Four is held in Detroit.

Reporter Joey Johnston can be reached at (813) 259-7353.

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