NORMAN — When Oklahoma updated its official football roster online last Wednesday night, one long-rumored position change was confirmed.
Geneo Grissom, a 6-foot-4, 247-pound third-string defensive end last season, was moved to tight end.
The news was quickly met with questioning and criticism by some OU faithful. Why move an athletic, promising defensive end when the position just lost two All-Big 12 selections to the NFL?
A fair question, to be sure. Frank Alexander and Ronnell Lewis left big shoes to be filled, and coaches have praised Grissom, who was expected to be in the rotation as a sophomore.
He saw action in six games and recorded five tackles as a redshirt freshman last season.
Grissom's high school coach, for his part, thinks Oklahoma fans will be “more than pleasantly surprised” with his former pupil's performance at tight end.
Randy Dreiling, coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) High, always used Grissom as the second tight end in two-tight end sets, he said. Hutchinson employs a run-first offense.
“He was a ferocious blocker,” Dreiling said. “I think it's a pretty natural move, given his body.
“He's got incredible hands, and his arms are so long.”
Dreiling remembered one game during Grissom's senior year when he was going out for a pass, ran through a safety and caught a “tremendous” touchdown pass that was called back for offensive pass interference.
Still, Grissom was primarily a defensive player at Hutchinson. He recorded 72 tackles (21 for loss) and 6.5 sacks during his senior year, when his school won its sixth straight Kansas state championship.
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