Roy Finch

[SoonerInFortSmith]

The only place he appears on the depth chart is KR. Thoughts?

[BoulderSooner79]

He'll still get 8-10 touches/game. If he doesn't, I can only imagine he is in some sort of dog house.

[SoonerMarkVA]

Thoughts are, I don't get it. It's got to be something besides ability. Off the field, dogging it in practice, persistent injuries not reported. Something.

[soonerboy_odanorth]

We all have our faves... but to think he is an every down back is wishing and hoping more than anything I think. He's great where he is... situational player. I still think we'll see plenty of him this year. And the other way I read that is we might really have something in Damien Williams if he has pushed Finch down the depth chart.

Also, Finch has never been able to really take the spot outright from Clay. And all the talk has been that Clay has taken the next step, with nary a word on Finch. So again, maybe that's a good sign about Clay, and not necessarily some kind of indictment on Finch.

[BoulderSooner79]

I guess we'll find out soon enough. It could be simple competition that other players past him. I kept hearing that Clay was playing hurt all last season and he could be healthy and more effective now. Williams has looked impressive and you can't question Whaley (outside of health status). Throw in Josh's claim that Millard will get more carries and there aren't many carries left. From watching Finch the first 2 years, he was a perfect change of pace back. It would take the D a while to adjust to his moves; but they would adjust and he would start getting arm tackled if he stayed in too long. But those 8-10 touches can still be very important, so I hope he is still in the mix.

[BoulderSooner79]

Pretty much agree with odanorth and I wouldn't have posted if I had read it first :)

[thecrimsoncrusader]

Roy Finch's Achilles hill is his pass protection and it's not a physical issue, it's a mental issue. It's a shame though as he averaged 5.7 yards per carry, which is very impressive in the style of offense that Oklahoma runs where run-blocking is less than stellar.

I am still waiting for Clay to impress, he wasn't even impressive two years ago before he suffered a concussion early on in the season. Cale Gundy compares him to Chris Brown in terms of consistency, but it would be nice if he could at least perform as well as Chris Brown, which he has yet to do. Regardless, most collegiate players reach their peak or finally get it by their junior years, so there is still hope when it comes to Clay, I'm just not banking on it.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

111 carries so far for Clay...Longest rush is 13 yards in those carries.

[rock on sooner]

111 carries so far for Clay...Longest rush is 13 yards in those carries.

Hey, Step, what's his average on passes?

[Soonermagik]

111 carries so far for Clay...Longest rush is 13 yards in those carries.

Yeah, that's a telling stat. Clay has virtually no home run ability. I continue to hold out hope that he will get better with time, but I don't know.

The problem with Finch is his durability due to his size.. he just needs to add more mass. Also, he does seem to suffer in pass blocking. I imagine he will be put in the slot several times this season and they will try to get him in space. With Millard, Whaley, D. Williams back there I doubt we see Finch as a constant back more of a hybrid slot/return guy.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

21 for 117 on catches..works out to a little over 5.5 yards per catch and long of 16

[SouthFortySooner]

Any guy that has played has had his jock strap twisted around his ankles by the little juke joint runner.
But, when you did get to him it was a pleasure to take down a 160 pounder.

The Dom or the Adrian or any big body back is going to get the touches.

[8timechamps]

We're still going to see a lot of Finch. He'll be on KOR as well as RB and play the slot. Gundy already said he was going to be in the RB rotation, and Stoops reaffirmed that. Finch has not been good in pass protection, but he may be the most dynamic player we have in the open field.

[SoonerMarkVA]

I hadn't noticed his breakdowns in pass protection. If that's a problem, then I can see why he's being held back a bit.


he may be the most dynamic player we have in the open field.

Agreed. He just looks like he's a shoestring away from breaking something big every touch.

[MountainOkie]

21 for 117 on catches..works out to a little over 5.5 yards per catch and long of 16


So let me get this straight: Clay's a less than spectacular runner (to be kind) and he can't do anything much with the ball after he catches it, but he does well in pass blocking......and he keeps getting a lot of snaps?

If pass blocking trumps running and catching ability at RB for OU coaches (which seems to be the case with Clay) why don't they just plug in an OL or TE at RB and be done with it?

[goingoneight]

Finch has been trying to play slot receiver since summer 2011. He was working under Broyles, as some might remember in the ESPN "Training Days" series. He was not completely healthy after an ankle surgery (pinning) going into the 2011 season. Hence, the reason why Finch "disappeared" on the depth chart at RB. Two transfers, an underclassman's fumblitis and two injurie backs later, Finch was all we had. He slid back over to RB, where he had more experience. He's spent nearly ALL of 2012's off-season trying to pick up where he left off in early 2011 at slot receiver. Now, he's playing behind a supposed dynamic duo of freshmen phenom slot receivers in Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal. I can imagine he's probably right on par with those guys for now since no one has yet made a name for themselves in a game.

Point: Finch is kind of an all-purpose guy and we'll likely still see him involved. He's not in a position like Quentin Griffin was (the guy everyone compares him to) where he is ALL we have. If Q was on the 2004 team, he probably wouldn't have gotten much time behind the bigger backs, either, great as he was in 2002. A guy has to truly be a remarkable player to demand opportunities like Broyles or AD, otherwise it goes to competition. If there's no Broyles or Clayton on this team (yet), I'd go with the guys who are bigger, stronger and faster, too. Remember when Adron Tennell, Brandon Caleb and DeJuan Miller were everybody's picks to be the best group of WRs in the BIG 12 in summer 2009? Time and playmakers will eventually sort things out. Finch won't completely disappear unless the backs, slots and KRs all show him up big time. He's too good of a player not to still keep involved.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

So let me get this straight: Clay's a less than spectacular runner (to be kind) and he can't do anything much with the ball after he catches it, but he does well in pass blocking......and he keeps getting a lot of snaps?

If pass blocking trumps running and catching ability at RB for OU coaches (which seems to be the case with Clay) why don't they just plug in an OL or TE at RB and be done with it?VERY well said! Clay is the snake-charmer who entices the coaches into trying him yet again...or, maybe he's like Lucy holding the football to be placekicked..Shirley some day he won't pull that football away, and leave the coaches kicking air....won't he?

[Soonermagik]

So let me get this straight: Clay's a less than spectacular runner (to be kind) and he can't do anything much with the ball after he catches it, but he does well in pass blocking......and he keeps getting a lot of snaps?

If pass blocking trumps running and catching ability at RB for OU coaches (which seems to be the case with Clay) why don't they just plug in an OL or TE at RB and be done with it?

I think what makes even more sense is to put Millard in more. He can break bigger runs, he can catch and block. I think this team is under using Millard big time.

[BoulderSooner79]

Comforting to see we have plenty of qualified coaches ready to step in when Stoops wakes up and fires the stupid ones he has on board.

[MountainOkie]

Comforting to see we have plenty of qualified coaches ready to step in when Stoops wakes up and fires the stupid ones he has on board.

Same old story from Boulder.

It's a message board BoulderSooner79. You're on an OU football MESSAGE BOARD. If you don't like to hear other people's opinions on OU football then you're in the wrong place.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Comforting to see we have plenty of qualified coaches ready to step in when Stoops wakes up and fires the stupid ones he has on board.Is that a knowledgeable vote of confidence for Mr. Clay? (I haven't been watching practices like some folks).

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I think what makes even more sense is to put Millard in more. He can break bigger runs, he can catch and block. I think this team is under using Millard big time.No shiite!Rocket science!

[BoulderSooner79]

Same old story from Boulder.

It's a message board BoulderSooner79. You're on an OU football MESSAGE BOARD. If you don't like to hear other people's opinions on OU football then you're in the wrong place.

LOL. I just think you guys are funny.

[8timechamps]

I hadn't noticed his breakdowns in pass protection. If that's a problem, then I can see why he's being held back a bit.



Agreed. He just looks like he's a shoestring away from breaking something big every touch.

I don't know that he breaks-down as much as he's just so damn small. It's hard for him to get leverage on a LB or DE, and going low hasn't really been his strength.

I still think Finch sees plenty of field time. He's too good to stay off the field.

[8timechamps]

So let me get this straight: Clay's a less than spectacular runner (to be kind) and he can't do anything much with the ball after he catches it, but he does well in pass blocking......and he keeps getting a lot of snaps?
If pass blocking trumps running and catching ability at RB for OU coaches (which seems to be the case with Clay) why don't they just plug in an OL or TE at RB and be done with it?


VERY well said! Clay is the snake-charmer who entices the coaches into trying him yet again...or, maybe he's like Lucy holding the football to be placekicked..Shirley some day he won't pull that football away, and leave the coaches kicking air....won't he?

Clay is a good back (that would start for 100+ other schools), but his problem is he's in a system that isn't going to feature one back, unless that back is head and shoulders above the rest. If you really what to see what Clay is capable of, go back and watch the FSU game from last year. He was a workhorse in that game (both in pass protection, catching the ball out of the backfield and running downhill).

Clay isn't the big fan favorite because he's buried down the depth chart. And, unlike Finch, isn't going to see time at slot this year. However, I would recommend that you go back and watch how Clay preformed last year (especially after Dom went down). I think you'll be a little bit encouraged for the upcoming season.

[BoulderSooner79]

Is that a knowledgeable vote of confidence for Mr. Clay? (I haven't been watching practices like some folks).

Nope. I have nothing to go on other that what's happened the last couple of years and from that, I understand why people are asking the questions. I'm just assuming the coaches have more recent info. to go on like spring and fall camps and that's why Clay is listed above Finch at RB. It could also be Clay's main position is now slot receiver and he is not even competing with Clay anymore. Or as you say, maybe Clay is just a snake charmer on coaches and if any of us smarties became coaches, he would charm us too. :)

[King Crimson]

more interested if we can block people and run the ball when it matters for once.

[cleller]

We're still going to see a lot of Finch. He'll be on KOR as well as RB and play the slot. Gundy already said he was going to be in the RB rotation, and Stoops reaffirmed that. Finch has not been good in pass protection, but he may be the most dynamic player we have in the open field.

While reading this thread I immediately began thinking about he slot issue, too. If pass blocking is an obvious weak point, when Finch comes on the field, defense could react thinking that either he is getting the ball, or he is the best route to the QB. Could this explain why he popped some good runs early on, then seemed to taper back?

Having him available in the slot would help keep folks a little more confused, maybe.

[dennis580]

Clay is a good back (that would start for 100+ other schools), but his problem is he's in a system that isn't going to feature one back, unless that back is head and shoulders above the rest. If you really what to see what Clay is capable of, go back and watch the FSU game from last year. He was a workhorse in that game (both in pass protection, catching the ball out of the backfield and running downhill).

Clay isn't the big fan favorite because he's buried down the depth chart. And, unlike Finch, isn't going to see time at slot this year. However, I would recommend that you go back and watch how Clay preformed last year (especially after Dom went down). I think you'll be a little bit encouraged for the upcoming season.


I cann't see Clay starting for even 10 schools. He is just flat out terrible with no redeeming qualities. I cringe every time we waste carries on him.

[8timechamps]

I cann't see Clay starting for even 10 schools. He is just flat out terrible with no redeeming qualities. I cringe every time we waste carries on him.

You must not watch much college football then.

Just so I'm clear, Brennan Clay is "flat out terrible with no redeeming qualities" and Coach Stoops "wastes carries" on him?

Your opinion is noted.

[starclassic tama]

I cann't see Clay starting for even 10 schools. He is just flat out terrible with no redeeming qualities. I cringe every time we waste carries on him.

ridiculous if not flat out stupid post. clay has not produced at the level that OU thought when they brought him in, but at the very least he would start and be productive at all sorts of d-1 schools. there is being honest about a player, and there is slamming a player for no reason. your post is the latter.