Oklahoma football: Why tight end Brannon Green is a mystery man no more

Last Saturday, in his OU debut, Green hauled in a crucial 18-yard touchdown reception from Landry Jones that increased the Sooners' lead to 10 and helped finalize a season-opening win at UTEP.

But as Green celebrated his first OU touchdown — and reception, for that matter — with teammates, Fox Sports Network play-by-play announcer Mike Morgan identified, a few seconds late, No. 82 for the television audience.

“Brandon Green!” he said.

That's nothing compared to Green's first encounter with the OU media contingent during fall camp.

Just a few weeks ago, Green walked into the interview room and figured out pretty quickly that no one knew his name, and that no one wanted to ask it.

So for a few rather uncomfortable minutes, Green stood front and center in a huddle of reporters who asked very general questions, hoping an answer would reveal his identity.

“No one really knew who I was,” Green remembered Tuesday with a laugh. “It was an awkward pause. I didn't know if I should say anything ... it was funny.”

Green got a kick out of the whole thing, but also admits using it as motivation.

Projected starter Geneo Grissom's one-game suspension for the UTEP game gave Green an opportunity to carve out a significant role for himself, and he took advantage of it.

Green signed with the Sooners out of Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College, and enrolled at Oklahoma for the spring semester. With James Hanna and Trent Ratterree graduating and Austin Haywood quitting, OU returned no experienced tight ends for the 2012 season.

Green and true freshman Taylor McNamara, who also enrolled early, battled for the position during spring football. Entering April's spring game, Green was listed as the starter. But then Grissom, a defensive end at the time, requested a position change.