Oklahoma 2021 Report Card: Tight End/H-backs

Jeremiah Hall, Brayden Willis and Austin Stogner were amongst the most consistent performers for the OU offense all season long.

Author:
Ryan Chapman
Publish date:
Jan 14, 2022 8:00 AM EST

Most of Oklahoma’s offense in 2021 underwhelmed save one glaring exception.

Joe Jon Finley’s tight end/H-backs room shined while the wide receivers and offensive line struggled to live up to preseason expectations.

A three-man unit, Jeremiah Hall, Brayden Willis and Austin Stogner were tasked with helping to bust open holes in the run game as well as play safety blanket for both Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams.

As a captain and constant spokesperson for the team, Hall saved his best year at Oklahoma for his last.

The Charlotte native set a career-high in both receptions and receiving yards, hauling in 32 balls for 334 yards and four touchdowns.

Hall ranked fourth on the entire team in receptions, fifth in receiving yards and tied for third in receiving touchdowns. He also got steady use in Oklahoma’s run game, often used as an extra blocker to help spring holes for both Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray.

Willis also logged career bests this year in both receptions and receiving yards. Reeling in 15 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns, Willis averaged 11.8 yards per reception this year.

The 2021 season was thought to be Willis’ last in Norman, but the Sooner senior had a change of heart, and he will likely step into a much larger role in 2022 as the face of the tight end/H-back room.

Brayden Willis, Oklahoma State Cowboys — Brayden Willis
Alonzo Adams / USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps the only player who came in below preseason expectations was Stogner, though his lack of usage appeared to be up to the coaches and the reality that OU’s offense had less touches to go around in 2021 as the offense battled through a number of low possession games.

Stogner caught 14 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns in his bounce back year after a scary injury derailed the back end of his 2020 campaign.

The lack of production this past year didn’t lessen his value, however, as he was happy to reunite with former tight end/H-backs coach Shane Beamer at South Carolina via the transfer portal.

But when he was on the field, he was a consistent contributor, much like the rest of the room.

In total, the three tight ends accounted for nearly 20 percent of Oklahoma’s receiving yardage and 28 percent of the Sooners’ receiving touchdowns over the course of the year.

All three of Hall, Willis and Stogner averaged greater than 10 yards per reception, as whenever Rattler or Williams found them, they were usually moving the chains for OU.

In a season where the offense’s levels of production varied wildly from game to game, the tight end/H-back room was one of the few constants that could be relied on no matter the situation.

Grading the Tight End/H-backs