He had delayed NFL millions—made the most improbable decision in college football history—and this was Sam Bradford's reward.

Before the writhing Heisman-winner could even pull himself off the turf at the new Cowboys Stadium, college football's collective conscience had already been hit with the realization.

"It will never happen again."

Yet, here we are, half-a-season later, and a significant contingent of Irish faithful believe that Jimmy Clausen has half-a-mind to make the same call.

Regardless of whether or not you think Notre Dame's Heisman candidate will or should return for his senior season, it's worth reviewing what he can glean from Bradford's decision.

Because there are both clear parallels and situational differences, the lessons learned may not be as one-directional as you might expect.

 

Career Accomplishments

Heisman Trophy, Davey O'Brien Award, Big 12 Player of the Year, All-American honors...there was only room for one more bullet point on Bradford's resume: national champion.

And when he announced intentions to return to Norman, he had just led the Sooners on a second straight BCS journey, only to fall one win short of that capstone.

By comparison, Clausen's accolades are sparse. Just this season, he's come into his own, although he appears destined for many of the same national honors typically bestowed on college football's best quarterback. Clausen may even walk away with the stiff-armed trophy.

The Sooner legend holds 15 school records and has already been dubbed Oklahoma's best ever, despite never winning the ultimate prize. Statistically, Clausen would easily eclipse every Notre Dame predecessor if he plays out his eligibility, but he's not there yet. He also still lacks a signature win, much less a title.

Conclusion: Clausen still has far more to prove at the college level than Bradford did when he chose to come back, and therefore is more inclined to play another season at Notre Dame.

Impact: Little-to-none.

 

Championship Potential

Ultimately, none of those accolades mattered to Bradford, and it's naive to think any of them matter to Clausen, either.

No one returns to school to glut themselves on college honors—currency is far more fun to accumulate.

However, the lure of a national championship tugged on Bradford's crimson No. 14 jersey, and very well may have the same effect on Clausen.

As the defending runner-up, Bradford surveyed his surrounding talent and competition and liked his chances. We'll soon discuss a couple costly oversights, but it was hardly unreasonable for Bradford to expect a return trip to the BCS Championship from his Sooners.

For Notre Dame, championship prospects are much less likely, but not unrealistic.

Through two seasons, Clausen has been unable to lead the Irish to more than a Hawaii Bowl victory. However, a convincing BCS appearance in 2009 and a compliant schedule in 2010 would set the stage for a national championship run, especially when considering the pieces around Clausen.

In fact, the question marks fall mostly on the defensive side of the football, a factor he cannot control.

Conclusion: Clausen and the Irish have much longer national championship odds than Bradford and the Sooners did, and therefore Clausen's more likely to go pro.

Impact: Crucial

 

Offensive Line

OU fans feared their offensive line wouldn't be able to live up to Bradford's expectations in 2009, but that unit's shortcomings didn't hit home until Coleby Clawson's hit landed Sam in a sling.

The Sooners sent four starting offensive lineman to the last NFL Combine, and three have found homes in professional football.

In hindsight, perhaps that was a factor the Bradford camp undervalued.

So what will the Notre Dame offensive line look like in 2010, should Clausen return?

Depending who you ask, the Irish will either be returning two or three starting pieces.

Senior left guard Chris Stewart has eligibility remaining, as does right guard Trevor Robinson. Irish center Dan Wenger, who is not in the starting lineup this season despite 18 career starts, could also return for a fifth season.

For the purposes of this discussion, we'll not look any further down the depth chart, because the only sure predictor of quality offensive line play is experience.

Conclusion : In both quantity and quality, Clausen won't lose as much up front as Bradford did. Yet, he stands to lose just as much financially should an injury occur. Therefore, this category is a wash despite it's importance in the decision-making process.

Impact : Mitigated

 

Wide Receivers

If there's a decisive category, wide receiver very well may prove to be the one.

Three of Bradford's top four true receivers departed after the BCS loss to Florida. He fully anticipated having an All-American tight end at his disposal before Jermaine Gresham suffered a season-ending knee injury.

By comparison, in 2010, Notre Dame will have the undisputed best receiving corps in the country, and perhaps the top tight end to boot.

Surefire pro Michael Floyd is not yet NFL-eligible, nor is Kyle Rudolph. And the prevailing opinion is that junior Golden Tate doesn't project highly enough at the next level to warrant an early departure.

But it's not just the talent that Clausen has to work with—it's the chemistry.

The story of the SoCal summer this crew spent together has been a favorite of every broadcast team. And if that camaraderie is genuine, it may be enough to bring Clausen back.

Conclusion : Clausen will likely have better targets at Notre Dame in 2010 than he would in Buffalo. And the cast is definitely superior to what Bradford had to work with. The receiving corps tilts Clausen's scale towards coming back to campus.

Impact : Significant

 

Coaching

Bradford was, and Clausen is, in a very unique position in terms of instruction.

Say what you will about Oklahoma's inability to land a quarterback in the NFL. The Sooners coaching staff ranks among the best in college football. This side of the pros, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better offensive combination than quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson.

Therefore, Bradford could trust that his extra year in Norman would be well-spent in terms of progressing as a signal caller.

Likewise for Jimmy Clausen, who may have the best quarterback guru at any level.

For all his shortcomings as a head coach, Charlie Weis helped Tom Brady thrive with the Patriots, transformed Brady Quinn from a mediocre talent into an NFL quarterback, and has now inculcated Clausen.

Were Weis to lose his job following this season, he would immediately be rehired as an NFL offensive coordinator. Therefore, Clausen stands to gain more from spending another season in a college system than any quarterback in the country.

(Note: I don't believe Weis will be fired. And if he were, Clausen would surely depart and the preceding point is moot.)

Conclusion : Because of Weis' track record, NFL personnel may even advise Clausen to spend another year in South Bend. If Bradford trusted his coaching staff enough to return, so should Clausen.

Impact : Essential

 

Personal Ambition

This week, as he made his announcement to undergo surgery, Bradford reiterated that playing for Oklahoma was always his dream. He grew up a multi-sport athlete, without an in-state professional football team, in a financially stable family. Donning the Crimson and Cream for his father's Alma mater was the ultimate, not NFL riches.

In that context, his improbable return to OU is far less shocking.

Clausen doesn't have family ties to the Irish program, and has never articulated a comparable love of Notre Dame (nor is he expected to).

He was raised in a family of quarterbacks, and because those older Clausen brothers fell short of their NFL dreams, the mantle falls to Jimmy.

While his college commitment dripped with national championship guarantees, let's not confuse predictions with priorities. Just because Clausen has yet to deliver doesn't mean he's reluctant to leave Notre Dame without a championship.

Conclusion : Bradford seemingly couldn't be convinced to leave Norman. Notre Dame is going to have to convince Clausen to stay.

Impact : Ultimate

 

Final Thoughts

If we're already thinking about the impact of Sam Bradford's experience, chances are the thought has crossed Jimmy Clausen's mind as well.

It's far too early for him to be weighing a decision. He still has much to prove at the college level, and injuries of his own to avoid. Additionally, he'll soon be bombarded with advice and peripheral considerations like the looming rookie salary cap.

But when the time comes, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner may provide a precedent for the 2009 recipient.

How Clausen interprets that blueprint remains to be seen.