Gresham impressing: Joe Jon Finleymay be OU's returning starter at tight end.
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And Brody Eldridge may be on the watch list for the Mackey Award, given to the nation's top tight end following the season.
But sophomore tight end Jermaine Gresham has generated talk among the defensive backs, who have to tackle him in practice.
"He's like a freight train,” safety Nic Harris said Thursday. "You got to stay low and get under him.
"You can't stay high, or he'll embarrass you.”
The 6-foot-6, 266-pound Gresham caught only eight passes last season. But he did average better than 20 yards a catch, none bigger than a 35-yard grab on third-and-10 from the OU 1-yard line against Nebraska in the Big 12 title game, igniting a 99-yard touchdown drive.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson expects Gresham to become even more involved this season.
"Jermaine is significantly improved from where he was in knowledge and understanding,” Wilson said. "He's playing multiple places and blocking at a high level, maybe blocking as well as any of the tight ends.”
•Lofton remains in the middle: Even though junior-college linebacker Mike Reed was one of OU's top recruits in the spring, Curtis Lofton is still working with the first-team defense at middle linebacker.
"This is all about competition,” Lofton said. "I'm glad they brought in someone like (Reed). It's just going to push me to be a better player.”
Lofton finished the spring projecting to start at weak-side linebacker. But he prefers the middle.
"I like to be pretty physical,” Lofton said. "And that's all what (middle linebacker) is about.”
•Two Miami starters injured: Miami starting linebacker Glenn Cook injured his foot and is expected to miss the first month of the season, Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon told reporters Thursday.
Shannon said Cook likely won't play against Oklahoma on Sept. 8.
Cook, a senior who has the most starts of any returning linebacker, had 64 tackles last season.
Also, Miami starting safety Lovon Ponder was seen on crutches during practice Wednesday with an undisclosed injury.
But Shannon said he expects Ponder, who had 53 tackles last year, to be ready for Miami's opener Sept.1 against Marshall.
By Jake Trotter, Scott Wright and Staff Reports
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