With Bradford out, OU's hopes ride on Jones' arm -- and mustache

Turns out, this whole thing -- the snickers, the heckling, the growing cult phenomenon -- resulted from a character flaw. Landry Jones' mustache?

"The only reason he had it," said Jones' girlfriend, Whitney Hand, "is he was too lazy to shave it. He didn't think he was going to get all that TV time."

Really, who did? We thought Oklahoma would play BYU, and Sam Bradford would show everyone why he won the Heisman Trophy. Except the Cougars kept blitzing, and Bradford went down, and here came ... check your programs ... Landry Jones.

And hey, check out that 'stache!

You're wondering, of course, why the scraggly growth on a backup quarterback's upper lip matters. Because Jones matters, at least for now. On Saturday night against Miami, he'll start in place of Bradford for the third straight game.

Bradford is practicing again, not quite four weeks after suffering a separated right shoulder. Last weekend, when the Sooners were idle, he visited Dr.James Andrews, the renowned orthopedic surgeon. He threw well this week, and took snaps with the first team. At least, that's what we're led to believe.

Sooners coach Bob Stoops doesn't allow his quarterbacks to be interviewed, and his players not to say much (which, let's be honest, is apparently a standing order), but a few snippets of information leaked out.

"Landry said Sam looked good in practice, looked sharp, was doing things well," said Kevin Jones, Landry's father. "I guess Sam's shoulder didn't respond the way they wanted."

Bradford won't start, and he probably won't be in uniform against the 'Canes. Which means Oklahoma's national title hopes -- despite the BYU loss, the Sooners remain in serious contention -- ride on Jones for at least one more game.

Yeah, Fear the 'Stache.