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Oklahoma Sooners Sports News and Articles

Oklahoma football: Roy Finch working to earn more playing time

The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey, Stephanie Kuzydym, Jenni Carlson and Mike Sherman provided live coverage from OU football's weekly press conference today. It followed the Sooners' 69-13 win over Florida A&M. The Sooners take on Kansas State on Sept. 22 in Norman.

Published: September 10, 2012 Comment on this article

University of Oklahoma offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said running back/slot receiver Roy Finch is working to earn more playing time.

"We all know what type of talent Roy is.....ultimately, we are asking all of our guys to buy in," said Heupel, who was filling in at the weekly press conference for Sooners coach Bob Stoops who was at a funeral.

Finch saw his first substantial playing time of the season Saturday in the Sooners 69-13 win over Florida A&M. He had five carries for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Here is a look at what else Heupel, co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell and defensive coordinator Mike Stoops had to say on Monday:

NewsOKSports 11:48 a.m. Bob Stoops will be taking questions from the media at noon. You'll find coverage here from Jason Kersey, Stephanie Kuzydym, Anthony Slater, and Mike Sherman.

@jasonkersey 12:06 p.m. Bob Stoops is at a funeral today, so the coordinators are filling in for this week's news conference. Mike Stoops is up first #Sooners

@stephkuzy 12:06 p.m. Mike Stoops tells us we can compare him to his brother right before The start of the press conference. Then cracks a joke. Well, Mike...

@MikeSherman 12:11 p.m. #Sooner DC Mike Stoops says LB Tom Wort will make plays as he goes along. Says "we may be asking him to do different things than before"

@MikeSherman 12:14 p.m. Last time Mike Stoops took the field as OU's d-coordinator vs.a Big 12 foe: 2003 title game vs. Kansas State....

@jasonkersey 12:14 p.m. Mike Stoops says there's a good chance #Sooners will play more with 3 linebackers against Kansas State's powerful run attack

@stephkuzy 12:15 p.m. Mike Stoops has not sat down with Casey Walker. Said his job is to "coach the guys that are there." #Sooners

@jasonkersey 12:16 p.m. Mike Stoops "certainly happy" for his former team Arizona, which beat Oklahoma State last week #Sooners #okstate

@stephkuzy 12:16 p.m. Mike Stoops says "for me it's not a shock" while commenting on Arizona's won against Oklahoma State. #Sooners

@MikeSherman 12:17 p.m. #Sooner DC Mike Stoops gives a good answer to what he thought of Arizona's win over #OKState. Happy for and proud of the guys he coached.

@jasonkersey 12:18 p.m. Now Josh Heupel is at the podium #Sooners

@stephkuzy 12:18 p.m. Mike joked before that Heupel and him were going to split Bob's pay for today. Josh Heupel up next for today's press conference. #Sooners

@jasonkersey 12:19 p.m. Heupel: Sterling Shepard performed as well as anyone on the field #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:21 p.m. Heupel: Didn't like the way offensive line executed vs UTEP or early vs FAMU, but felt got better. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:22 p.m. Heupel: Young WRs were much more comfortable in Week 2. Helped up the overall offensive tempo. #Sooners

@stephkuzy 12:22 p.m. Extremely high praise from Heupel on Justin Brown. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:23 p.m. Heupel: Says Landry can play at a higher level. Expects improvement in Jones as OL gets better and WRs get more comfortable. #Sooners

@stephkuzy 12:23 p.m. "We all know what type of talent Roy is ... Ultimately we are asking all of our guys buy in" -Heupel on Finch

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:23 p.m. Heupel: Says Finch continues to need to earn touches. #Sooners

@anthonyVslater 12:24 p.m. Bill Young is at the #OKstate media luncheon.

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:24 p.m. Jay Norvell up now. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:24 p.m. Norvell: "We were really disappointed with how we started the game." #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:25 p.m. Norvell: Sees early off week as a real advantage for young guys. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:25 p.m. Norvell: "We're just kind of scratching the surface of what we can do." #Sooners

@MikeSherman 12:26 p.m. Josh Heupel uses phrases "buy-in" and handle things in a "mature way" in response to a question about Roy Finch's playing time. #Sooners

@jasonkersey 12:26 p.m. Norvell: "No question" coaches are more comfortable leaving Landry In the game inside the 5-yard line #Sooners

@MikeSherman 12:27 p.m. Damien Williams' emergence as a power back has helped OU in "that red area," according to co-coordinator Jay Norvell.

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:27 p.m. Norvell: Says they've found out a lot about the players these first two weeks. #Sooners

@jasonkersey 12:27 p.m. Norvell: Metoyer hasn't played a meaningful football game in 2 years #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:28 p.m. Norvell: Says he used to go see Metoyer last season at military school, and all he was doing was marching around and doing pushups. #Sooners

@MikeSherman 12:28 p.m. Big storyline: Does more Damien Williams equal less Blake Bell? It certainly decreases the need..#Sooners

@stephkuzy 12:29 p.m. Justin Brown did suffer a chest bruise during Saturday's game which is why they took him out and let Durron Neal play. #Sooners

@MikeSherman 12:29 p.m. If Blake Bell is QB of the future, is the Belldozer package an unneeded risk given the emergence of Damien Williams? #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:30 p.m. Norvell: Damien Williams continues to get better as game goes no. "We need that physical presence in the run game." #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:32 p.m. Norvell: Showed Stills some plays from last year of catches across the middle. Have to do that w/ guy coming at you. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:33 p.m. Norvell: Part of playing in slot is being durable. Broyles was. Stills needs to be. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:34 p.m. Next up is Landry Jones. #Sooners

@MikeSherman 12:34 p.m. Jay Norvell's comments about Stills brings to mind underappreciated skill of slot receivers: Knowing when & how to get down, duck hits.

@stephkuzy 12:34 p.m. Norvell in Shepard when he wasnt catching he was flying around. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:35 p.m. Jones: "Kenny did a great job on Saturday going and making some plays." Said they were in sync. #Sooners

@stephkuzy 12:35 p.m. Lots of chemistry questions today. Landry says "we're coming along with that aspect." #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:36 p.m. Jones: Run game got going Week 2. Says that will make things so much better for pass game. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:38 p.m. Jones: Likes that WRs want the ball. Says it's weird if those guys don't act like that. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:39 p.m. Jones: Satisfied w/ the way he's moving in the pocket. Says he forced that throw that was intercepted. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:40 p.m. Jones: On Shepard's play: "A nice surprise for sure." #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:41 p.m. Jones: KState last year was one of the best games the offense played. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:42 p.m. Jones: Praises the way the OL is doing in the run game. Says there was some confusion Week 1 in coverages, better Week 2. #Sooners

@JenniCarlson_OK 12:43 p.m. OU presser done. #Sooners