BYU football: Clawson mixed over hard hit on Bradford

PROVO — Suffice it to say that Coleby Clawson — a returned LDS missionary who's married and has a young daughter — is probably the most unpopular man in Oklahoma.

The BYU senior linebacker's hit on Sooner quarterback Sam Bradford late in the first half of the Cougars' 14-13 victory, which knocked the Heisman Trophy winner out of the second half, has been replayed almost ad nauseam on ESPN and other sports networks.

Along with BYU's monumental upset, Bradford's shoulder has been the most talked-about story of the young college football season.

Clawson, a senior from Wales, Utah (population: 300), watched the highlight (or lowlight if you're part of Sooner Nation) a few times on the plane ride home.

"Since then, I haven't really turned on the TV to watch it," Clawson said. "But people have told me it's been on over and over again."

Clawson admitted he has some mixed feelings about the result of his hit on Bradford.

"It's kind of the nature of the beast, I guess, playing football. I really do feel bad because he's a great player and a good person, too. I feel bad he got hurt. I hope he can get back soon. As far as our game, I think it helped us win," said Clawson, who put a couple of hard hits on Northern Iowa quarterback Pat Grace in last year's season-opener. "I love rushing the quarterback. That's what I did as a defensive end when I played at Snow College. I'm always trying to get big hits, but I'm never trying to put guys out or hurt anybody."

Though Clawson's hit on Bradford has changed Oklahoma's season, he said Sooner fans have been "classy" toward him and his family, for the most part. His wife, Breanna — who wore a T-shirt bearing Clawson's No. 41 and his name at the game — were among the Clawson clan at Cowboys Stadium.

"OU's fans were really great. They treated my family and my wife good. They were some of the most classy fans I've ever met," Clawson said. "(Family members) were in the middle of all the BYU fans, so I think they felt safe. (OU fans) even came up and congratulated us."

Some OU fans have expressed their displeasure, however. "I've had a few messages through Facebook and stuff on my e-mail," he said. "I think it was mostly sarcasm, but there was a few OU fans that told me where to go. Overall, everyone's been really classy about it."

FOCUSED: BYU quarterback Max Hall said that he and his teammates aren't taking this week's opponent, Tulane, lightly, though the Green Wave have lost nine straight games.