Big 12 Championship: Trejan Bridges, finally, is back

ARLINGTON, TX — Finally, Trejan Bridges was free.

No longer shackled by the NCAA, no longer under the black cloud of a positive drug test and what became a 12-month suspension, all Bridges needed to do was leave his feet and catch the football.

What a story that would have been.

Alas, Spencer Rattler’s throw was a little too far, and Bridges couldn’t quite hold on, and there would be no redemption touchdown.

Still, everyone wearing crimson and cream on Saturday was elated to see the last member of Oklahoma’s suspended trio — the final piece of “Free the Three” — back in uniform, back on the field for the Sooners’ 27-21 victory over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium.

“Yeah, it was good to have him in there,” OU coach Lincoln Riley said. “He’s going to have a chance to be a big part of our offense, certainly, going forward. But that was — the kids, the team loves Trejan, we all do, and yeah — great to have him back.”

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Bridges was a 5-star recruit out of Carrollton, TX. As a true freshman last year, he caught seven passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games.

This year, Bridges participated in all the practices. He’s been at all meetings. He hasn’t missed his classes.

And yet, his mysterious suspension dragged out longer than those of Rhamondre Stevenson and Ronnie Perkins. They returned for the Texas Tech game on Oct. 31 — six games, per NCAA rules — but Bridges’ suspension lasted 11 games, and first game back wasn’t until Saturday morning.

And he didn’t even find out until Friday.

“We found out actually about halfway through our practice (Friday) morning, so … we weren’t able to do a whole lot with him. I guess, I don’t know, I guess something magically changed at the NCAA where now all of a sudden he was going to be eligible … no rhyme or reason.”

Riley said “the guys were thrilled” that Bridges’ suspension — stemming from a failed drug test ahead of last year’s Peach Bowl loss to LSU in the College Football Playoff — had finally been lifted.

“It was huge,” said Stevenson. “Me, Perk and Tre, we all had to go through it. Tre’s lasted a little longer. It was a little more rough on him. I was glad to see him back out there.”

Without much time on the Iowa State game plan, Bridges didn’t get many snaps. But one snap was an inch from amazing.

It was mid-third quarter, and the Sooners were ahead 24-7. After Rattler found Marvin Mims for 20 yards to the Iowa State 37, Stevenson carried for three yards to the 34.

On second-and-7, Bridges lined up wide left, and Rattler saw him get behind his defender on his way to the end zone. Rattler’s throw was high and long, and Bridges left his feet, laid out and got both hands on it — but the ball dislodged when he hit the ground. Incomplete.

It was, in reality, his first step in the 2020 season — and now there’s only one game left. The NCAA has relaxed eligibility for all athletes this year, so Bridges gets an extra season if he wants it.

But he’d surely rather have a full 2020 season if he could go back.

“It was great for us,” Riley said, “but man, I was just so excited for that kid, man, just to be able to go out there and play and get all this behind him.

“Now the great thing is we don’t have to talk about it any more. But what those kids have been through, it was hard — and especially for him. So, it meant a lot to have him back.”

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