NORMAN — The list of Oklahoma's offensive playmakers can get pretty long before Joe Jon Finley or Jermaine Gresham appear, so it might seem like a daunting task to spread the ball around enough to get the talented tight ends involved in the game plan.
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But their most valuable asset won't be catching the ball anyway, says Finley.
"More than anything, (we can help) protect with the offensive line,” Finley said. "As long as the quarterback doesn't feel pressure, he'll be fine. But if they have people coming to hit 'em right after they throw it, they might get a little rattled.
"We want him standing up the whole game, nobody diving at his feet or anything.”
That's where Gresham's summer work will provide the most help. The Ardmore product added about 15 pounds to his 6-foot-6 frame, now weighing in at 266.
And — opposing defensive backs, stop reading now — he says he's faster than when he weighed 250, because he added muscle and trimmed fat.
"I went in the weight room this summer with the mentality of getting my weight up, helping my team so I could be more accountable, more durable,” he said. "I focused in the offseason to put weight on, and I got in the film room and really learned the blocking schemes.”
It paid off, which offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson quickly noticed after training camp began.
"Jermaine is significantly improved from where he was in knowledge and understanding,” Wilson said. "(Last year) he wasn't as ideal a blocker as the other guys and sometimes not as comfortable with multiple things. Sometimes he would get a little overwhelmed.
"Now, he is grasping a much larger realm of things that he can handle.”
With the guarantee that an inexperienced quarterback will be under center for the Sooners this season, the tight ends could still provide some needed security in the passing game as well.
Wilson has even discussed the possibility of lining Gresham up as a wide receiver at times to create matchup problems.
But the tight ends seem to have bought into the team concept, so they won't be counting receptions or touchdowns. Only victories.
"We all know that's what we're striving for,” Gresham said.
"I don't really care about getting the ball that much, myself,” added Finley. "A lot of these guys can do a lot more with it than I can.
"But if they're gonna throw it my way, I'll sure try to catch it.”
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