John Shinn
For the last three seasons, Oklahoma’s tight end play has gone relatively unnoticed. It’s been that long since Trent Smith caught 46 passes in 2002. Since, the tight ends’ role in the passing game has been a bit part.
Sure they blocked, but receptions were few and far between.
But OU’s 24-17 victory over Alabama-Birmingham signaled the days of obscurity may be over for the group.
Joe Jon Finley, a tight end, was OU’s leading receiver with four catches for 79 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown grab. Freshman Jermaine Gresham also added a 14-yard catch.
“One of the reasons why we are going to the two tight ends right now is because they are pretty good,” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. “They are playing better than any tight ends that we have had around here in a while, and they are some of our best players right now. They give us good matchups.”
That was evident in the Sooners’ first scoring drive. Quarterback Paul Thompson hit Finley twice for two big gains, including the touchdown.
It was a simple matter of taking what the defense was giving. Every defense OU is going to play will load up to stop Adrian Peterson. Every step he takes catches the wandering eyes of linebackers and safeties.
Those are the same defenders who are supposed to be paying attention to tight ends.
Wilson noticed it early against UAB.
He intended to use a script for the first couple of series, but once he saw the attention Peterson was receiving, he decided to ad-lib.
“We lined up in that formation and we saw the coverage and what they were giving us on that play,” Finley said. “We ran it twice in a row. It was pretty much the same play. They did the same thing both times and luckily it opened up for a touchdown that second time for us.”
Things should continue to open up for Finley, a junior.
When he arrived at OU in 2003, he was as a skinny quarterback from Arlington, Texas. Through the years, he’s added size to his lanky 6-foot-6 frame. He currently weighs 255 pounds, 15 more than he weighed last season when he caught 13 passes with two going for touchdowns.
“He’s real physical and he’s definitely one of the hardest workers we’ve had in the offseason,” Thompson said. “I’ve gotten to know what type of athleticism he has. He showed it in that game and he’s played in many other games here as well and he’s made big plays. He’s definitely a player I like to go to — a big target with great hands — and he’ll be able to make some plays for us.”
And blocks.
The crackback he landed on UAB linebacker Orlandus King on Peterson’s 69-yard third-quarter touchdown reception was a highlight around the country.
Wilson said it was one of 19 times Finley put a defender on the ground.
“He showed what he is capable of and he has seen the great players that we have had do it week after week,” Wilson said. “He shows that he has a chance to be an upper-level player, but he could have a flash in the pan one game deal. But he practiced very hard and in a positive way to back it up in back to back-to-back great games, which is what great players do.”
It’s been three seasons since an OU tight end stood up and caught anyone’s attention. Finley did in the season opener and could do more at 2:30 p.m. Saturday when OU (1-0) faces Washington at Owen Field.
He thinks his performance against UAB was just a prelude of what’s coming.
“I am real excited about what happened in game and what can happen for the tight ends this season,” Finley said.
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
