“We are aware of a matter that may involve OU student-athletes and are monitoring the situation closely,” the OU told SI Sooners in a statement. “The student-athletes in question have been suspended pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation. We have no other information to share at this time.”
Norman police told SI Sooners they believed a third individual was involved in the incident, which involved a “firearms violation,” but sources at the university believe only two football players were involved.
In the audio, Norman police respond to a call at the Crimson Park Apartments at 2657 Classen Blvd., and said the suspects are “possibly ballplayers from OU.”
Police describe “a male victim bleeding from the head after being pistol-whipped,” and later identify Bridges by three names: T.J., Trejan (pronounced “Trey-hann) and Trejan (pronounced “Trey-john). Norman PD also identify “a second suspect” as Seth McGowan “based on victim looking through the roster and seeing the name Seth.”
One officer said Bridges was “in custody” during the call, although Norman PD told SI Sooners on Friday that the suspect was merely “detained” in the parking lot of a restaurant at 750 East Lindsey Street.
Police also described “designer shoes that were stolen, along with a camera” during the incident.
Bridges, from Carrollton, TX, was suspended for the 2019 College Football Playoff game against LSU for a positive drug test. The violation mandates a 6-game suspension, but Bridges continued to encounter problems and his suspension ended up lasting 10 games before he was reinstated before last year’s Big 12 Championship Game. He also played in the Cotton Bowl victory over Florida.
Bridges was a 5-star recruit out of Hebron High School in 2019.
The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Bridges was an early enrollee at OU in January 2019. He was selected to the All-American Bowl and was rated as high as the No. 21 overall high school prospect in the nation by Rivals. He chose OU over offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon and others.
As a true freshman in 2019, Bridges played in 13 games before he failed a drug test and was suspended for the College Football Playoff semifinal game against LSU. The suspension, levied by the NCAA, carries a six-game minimum punishment, but Bridges’ suspension was extended to 10 games before he was reinstated ahead of the 2020 Big 12 Championship Game. No official explanation was given for the extension.
“It was just an unfortunate event that happened to me,” Bridges said in a video press conference on April 8. “I couldn’t do anything but learn from it. You just never know what people are really going through, these type of times. I wouldn’t say it was fair, of course, it wasn’t. I’m gonna say if it was. I couldn’t do anything about it. I wasn’t gonna sit back and cry. Life moves on.”
In his two seasons at OU, Bridges has nine receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Bridges also experimented with switching to defense during his freshman year, and he finished the season with eight tackles as a safety before moving back to wide receiver.
McGowan, a running back from Mesquite, TX, carried the football 58 times for 370 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman in 2020, and also caught 13 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. His highlight was a 73-yard run against Florida in the Cotton Bowl while also catching three passes for 70 yards against the Gators.
McGowan was a 4-star prospect at Poteet High School, a top-200 player by ESPN, 247 Sports and Rivals, which ranked him as the No. 13 running back prospect in the nation. The 5-11, 205-pound McGowan chose OU over offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas and others.
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