Wondering what OU will do with Finch
Published: 8/28/2012 6:39 AM
Last Modified: 8/28/2012 6:39 AM
Three reactions to Oklahoma's first depth chart of the 2012 season:
1 – Where's Roy Finch?
What do they call the guy caught between positions? A tweener? I thought this might be Trey Millard on the '12 Sooners. Maybe, though, it's Finch.
He has rushed for 1,003 yards the past two years, and caught 44 passes. And yet the only place you see him on the depth chart is returning kickoffs? Huh.
OU opened camp seemingly needy at slot receiver, so moving Finch from running back to that position made sense at the time. It figured to work out for both player and team.
Then, however, the Sooners brought in Justin Brown from Penn State. That allowed Kenny Stills to move inside and settle into the slot. Then freshman Sterling Shepard showed how good a slot man he could be. And if Fresno State transfer/slot receiver Jalen Saunders somehow gets eligible… How's Finch going to catch swing passes?
Maybe he'll do what he predicted he would early in camp and play both receiver and running back. In the meantime, the three backs on the depth chart are a (supposedly) recovered Dominique Whaley, dependable Brennan Clay and rising JUCO transfer Damien Williams.
Finch has been too productive to be left out of the Sooners' offense. Figuring out where he's going to make a dent isn't so obvious.
2 – Let's not go overboard on the freshman class
It's easy to see the nine true freshmen on OU's two-deep and think, Whoa, what a class. And yes, Trey Metoyer might make the biggest impact by a Sooners true freshman since Adrian Peterson in 2004. At the very least, he should duplicate Kenny Stills' Freshman All-America season of '10.
But to think this year's rookies can duplicate the general influence of the '10 class? That's as big a stretch of picking David Ash to lead the Big 12 in passing.
Gary Simon and Zack Sanchez are backup corners who aren't likely to play major roles unless Aaron Colvin or Demontre Hurst get hurt. Colvin and Tony Jefferson started in the '10 secondary as freshmen.
The '12 backfield is too crowded for either Alex Ross or David Smith to play just yet. Finch and Clay got plenty of carries two years ago.
Corey Nelson helped at linebacker in '10. Two years later, Eric Striker will play special teams, but isn't listed on the 'backer depth chart.
The '10 freshman class had a whatever-you-need/whenever-you-need-it guy in Millard, plus a contributor at defensive tackle in Daniel Noble. You can't say the same in either sense for the current class.
Don't misunderstand me, it's a good group with tremendous potential. But Metoyer aside, it's also going to take a back seat to OU's upperclasses.
3 – I feel kind of sorry for Joe Ibiloye
Last spring, when Corey Nelson got off to a slow start under new linebackers coach Tim Kish, Ibiloye appeared ready to seize the moment and find a place in OU's revamped defense.
Now, Nelson has recovered to take command at outside linebacker. Tom Wort owns the middle. And, with Mike Stoops preferring a fifth defensive back over a third linebacker, Ibiloye's strongside position isn't even included on the depth chart.
He'll make a few plays before the season is over, even if they are on special teams. It's just not nearly as many as I (or he) envisioned.
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
