Who Will Oklahoma Hire to Replace Tight Ends Coach Joe Jon Finley?

The Sooners are searching for their next tight ends coach after they reportedly plan to move on from Joe Jon Finley.

Oklahoma offensive analyst Kevin Wilson | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

The Sooners are on the hunt for their next tight ends coach.

Oklahoma is expected to fire Joe Jon Finley, per a report from Sooner Scoop’s George Stoia. Finley was a staff member at OU for five seasons after stints at fellow SEC schools Missouri, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.

Jaren Kanak, OU’s leading tight end in 2025, is out of eligibility, while Kaden Helms has already announced his intentions to transfer.

Here are six tight ends coaches that the Sooners can pursue to stabilize the position group:

Kevin Wilson, Oklahoma (offensive analyst)

Sep 14, 2024; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Tulsa Golden Hurricane head coach Kevin Wilson during warmups before a game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Kevin Wilson seems to be a natural choice to take over for Finley.

Wilson, who joined OU’s staff as an offensive analyst in 2025, has decades of experience working in strong, tight-end heavy offenses. He was on Oklahoma’s staff from 2002 to 2010 before taking the head coaching job at Indiana. Wilson then served as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator from 2017 to 2022 before spending two seasons at Tulsa’s head coach.

Not only is Wilson proven, the Sooners wouldn’t have to go far or do much work to slot him in as the tight ends coach.

Brian Lepak, Kansas State

Jan. 1, 2011; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oklahoma Sooners offensive lineman (51) Brian Lepak against the Connecticut Huskies in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Sooners defeated the Huskies 48-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Brian Lepak served three years as K-State’s tight ends coach before taking over as the Wildcats’ offensive line coach in 2025.

Kansas State led the nation in touchdowns by tight ends (13) in 2024, his final year as the tight ends coach.

Lepak is a native of Claremore, OK, and he played on the Sooners’ offensive line for three seasons. He was a graduate assistant at OU from 2017 to 2019 and specialized on the offensive line.

Bryan Ellis, Alabama

Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight ends coach Bryan Ellis against the Oklahoma Sooners during the CFP National Playoff First Round at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Alabama’s Bryan Ellis is another name to watch out for.

Ellis just wrapped up his second season as the Crimson Tide’s tight ends coach after previous stints at Western Kentucky and Georgia Southern. The coach overlapped with OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, when he was on staff at WKU.

Because of his prior connection to Arbuckle, it’s possible that Ellis would leave Alabama for a school that has become somewhat of a rival to the Crimson Tide in recent years.

Jon Cooper, Mississippi State

Jon Cooper currently coaches at Mississippi State, but his Oklahoma connections could bring him back to Norman.

Cooper was an offensive lineman for Oklahoma from 2005 to 2009 before a brief career in the NFL. He was a graduate assistant at OU during the 2013 and 2014 seasons and was an offensive analyst for the Sooners in 2022.

Cooper recently finished his second season in Starkville, as the Bulldogs finished 5-8 and appeared in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. 

Nick Whitworth, Wake Forest

Nick Whitworth is another coach that has experience working with Arbuckle.

Whitworth, currently the special teams coordinator at Wake Forest, was Washington State’s special teams coordinator and tight ends coach while Arbuckle served as the school’s offensive coordinator. 

The 2025 season marked Whitworth’s first in Winston-Salem, and before that, he coached at Texas State, Portland State, Central Washington and Idaho State.

Kyle Richardson, Clemson

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Clemson Tigers tight ends coach Kyle Richardson against the Texas Longhorns during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kyle Richardson has been at Clemson for a decade — and, of course, that means he is very familiar with OU coach Brent Venables.

Richardson was the Tigers’ senior offensive analyst from 2016 to 2021. He became Clemson’s tight ends coach in 2022 and also picked up a co-offensive coordinator role in 2025.

Venables served as Clemson’s defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2021, when he accepted the head coaching role at Oklahoma.