Deciding to stay in school is never a bad choice. Even when it backfires and blows up in your face. Or more accurately, for Sam Bradford, his shoulder.

The Oklahoma quarterback and reigning Heisman winner has a sprained right shoulder, suffered initially in the Sooners' season-opening loss to BYU and re-tweaked last week against Texas. He's been ruled out of playing against Kansas this Saturday and sometime this week we'll learn more about his future.

I don't know of his medical diagnosis, but no matter. OU should shut Sam Bradford down. For the season. Whether he's going to need surgery or will simply undergo rehab and rest, he should not play another down in a Sooner uniform.

OU owes him that. It's the right thing to do for a guy who chose to return to school after his sophomore season rather than pursue the NFL. (Long-time readers of my blogs know I am an Oklahoma native, and a lifelong Sooner fan. So this post comes with extra cheese.)

Bradford was projected as being among the top choices. Georgia QB Matthew Stafford was taken No. 1 and signed a six-year $78 million deal, $41 million of it guaranteed. The next quarterback taken, USC's Mark Sanchez at No. 5 by the Jets, is banking $60 million over five years, $28 million guaranteed.

Bradford knew those numbers, yet he returned to Norman for another shot at a national title, after having lost to Florida in the title game last season. And he knew the risks, which he deemed worth the reward.

Now OU has no shot at the national title. Zero. So for his loyalty, OU should tell Bradford thanks for the memoiries, and allow him to begin doing what other college students are doing, prepare for the next phase of his life, which he still hopes will be a successful and lucrative pro career.

OU coach Bob Stoops said Monday: "We'll see what the path is, what everyone determines is best for him, what he and doctors and everyone else feel is the road to take."

Anyone who watched Bradford attemping to agonizingly crawl away from the pain after the sack against Texas should know the right road: The one leaving OU behind (but still taking classes, of course), then taking a right at Rehab and Riches.

That road should lead Sam Bradford right where he needs to go.

Where he deserves to go.

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 AP photograph