Glamour position not big draw for autograph-seekers

By Scott Wright

Published: August 4, 2007

NORMAN — The autograph lines were long for the Oklahoma stars Friday at the Sooners' annual fan appreciation day. Ropes couldn't contain the throngs of men, women and children seeking signatures from Malcolm Kelly, Reggie Smith and Allen Patrick.

Surprisingly short was the line for quarterbacks — the most discussed, most analyzed, most closely watched position on the OU football team. Not just this year, but almost any year.

Part of the problem is that no one knows who the starting quarterback will be when the Sooners take the field Sept. 1 against North Texas.

"I think it will be either No. 14 or No. 6,” said 8-year-old Hunter Zebert of Noble, referring to freshmen Sam Bradford and Keith Nichol, respectively.

If it were up to a fan vote, Bradford would be the landslide winner in the race to be OU's next quarterback. In an online poll at NewsOK.com, Bradford collected 70 percent of the votes, well ahead of Nichol (18 percent) and Joey Halzle (12 percent).

It's not easy for fans to show their support of their favorite quarterback in the form of a jersey.

A trip through Campus Corner's OU clothing shops reveal jerseys for Kelly, Smith and Patrick, but none bearing the number of any quarterback — unless you count the No. 16 jersey of fourth-stringer Hays McEachern adorning one store window.

Bradford has the backing of the local contingent as an Oklahoma City native and Putnam City North High School product. And some said he won them over with his performance in the Red-White spring game.

Nichol is the kid few people have ever seen, but his reputation as a talented, smart player preceded him. And Halzle earned the support of some fans simply by being part of the program the longest.

But the resounding call from the fans was for Bradford.

"I'm going with Sam Bradford,” said Burt Lillard of Poteau. "He's an Oklahoma guy, got some good experience.

"I think he'll be the man.”

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