Finley returns to OU as associate head coach
NORMAN—Joe Jon Finley is headed back to OU.
The former So one rs tight end was announced Tuesday as associate head coach for offense. He' ll also coach tight ends and H-back sand take a prominent role coaching special teams, Lincoln Riley announced.
Finley replaces Shane Beamer, who was hired as South Carolina's head coach in December.
"We' re excited to welcome Joe Jon and his family back to Norman," Riley said in a release. "He obviously had a great playing career and has established himself as one of the top tight end coaches in the country. He's had great experience working for several tremendous programs and I know he's going to bring a lot to ours."
Riley's staff now includes five former Sooners — Cale Gundy, DeMarco Murray, Brian Odom and Calvin Thibodeaux in addition to Finley.
Finley spent last season as the passing game coordinator and tight ends coach at Ole Miss, where the Rebels finished No. 3 nationally in total offense and No. 7 in passing offense.
Tight end Kenny Yeboah had 27 catches for 524 yards and six touchdowns in just eight games before being injured.
Finley coached tight ends at Texas A&M in 2019 after three seasons at Missouri in the same role.
With the Tigers, he developed Albert Okwuegbunam, a Mackey Award finalist in 2018 and a 2020 fourth-round NFL Draft pick.
As a player for the Sooners from 2004-07, Finley had 62 catches for 775 yards and 10 touchdowns.
"Oklahoma's my alma mater, it's where I met my wife and where I started my coaching career, so obviously it's a special place to my family," Finley said in a release.
As his playing career wound down, Finley began his coaching career at Los Fresnos High in south Texas before spending two seasons, 2012-13, as an offensive graduate assistant for the Sooners. He returned to Los Fresnos in 2014 before heading to Baylor as an offensive quality control assistant.
Sooners add Penn State transfer QB Micah Bowens II
The NCAA transfer portal was fruitful for OU for the second consecutive day Tuesday, when Penn State quarterback transfer Micah Bowens announced his decision to join the Sooners.
Bowens' announcement follows Tennessee offensive tackle Wanya Morris committing to OU a day earlier.
Bowens didn't play last year for the Nittany Lions. He was a Rivals three-star prospect out of Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman — the same high school that produced Sooners running backs coach and former OU standout DeMarco Murray.
Bowens (6-foot, 195 pounds) was the No. 12 dual- threat quarterback in the 2020 class, according to Rivals.
The Sooners were in need of quarterback depth following the departures of Tanner Mordecai and Chandler Morris after the season. Mordecai transferred to SMU and Morris to TCU.