NORMAN (AP) — Sam Bradford believes he’s an even better quarterback now than when he finished last season as the nation’s top-rated passer.

He’s completing more than 72 percent of his passes and has thrown for 16 touchdowns, against only two interceptions. His quarterback rating of 209.1 puts him behind only Tulsa’s David Johnson and Texas’ Colt McCoy.

Those numbers, and Oklahoma’s standing as the No. 1 team in the nation, make him one of the early candidates for the Heisman Trophy. But don’t count on the sophomore to do much campaigning for himself.

“You really can’t worry about it. You worry about going out and playing within the system and playing your own game and just helping the team win,” Bradford said. “I don’t think you worry about any individual awards. It’s all about the team.”

Bradford said the main difference he’s noticed in himself from his first season as a starter has to do with his emotions. He let himself get out of his comfort zone during the Sooners’ losses last year to Colorado and West Virginia, and in a closer-than-expected road game at Iowa State.

“I feel a lot more together when things aren’t going right or maybe when we’ve had a couple incompletions or a couple plays that haven’t gone the way that we planned. I just feel like I’m a lot more in control and a lot more calm. I don’t get rattled as much as I did last year,” Bradford said.

Sooners coach Bob Stoops also thinks Bradford has gotten bigger and stronger, allowing him to put more velocity on his throws, and has improved his footwork and how quickly he makes his reads.

“I just think everything’s happening faster, and all those things are even better,” Stoops said. “They were good a year ago but I think they’re even better.”

Bradford has bolstered his case for the Heisman by setting new career-highs in passing twice this season. He threw for 395 yards and five touchdowns against Cincinnati and then for 411 yards and four touchdowns last week against TCU.

“If they’re going to talk about it, I don’t see why his name shouldn’t be mentioned in it,” receiver Manuel Johnson said. “I don’t think Sam can win the Heisman alone. I think we’re going to have to do a lot to help him. We’ll just see how it goes.”

Notebook

MAN IN MIDDLE — Beyond recovering from injuries and moving into a new position of his own, Ryan Reynolds has been called on for even more responsibilities as the leader of a young linebacking corps.

He moved to middle linebacker from the outside to fill in after Curtis Lofton left early for the NFL draft, but he’s also been serving as a mentor to first-year starters Travis Lewis and Keenan Clayton.

“He’s really the main glue in there for all of those guys for alignments and making adjustments and getting the calls right, and he’s doing a great job of it. You can tell he’s just more and more comfortable with what he’s doing,” Stoops said.