Oklahoma TE Brayden Willis Embracing His New Role On and Off the Field

Brayden Willis is embracing a brand new position for his final season in Norman.

The tremendous senior is the brand new clear-cut chief within the tight ends room, each on and off the sector.

With 36 profession receptions, 484 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns to his identify, Willis is the one tight finish with vital expertise taking part in on Owen Area.

However whereas Willis is making ready to be the go-to goal out of the tight finish room, he’s stepping up his sport as a frontrunner for the whole offense.

Willis has battled by means of place battles, accidents and now a serious teaching change in Norman, expertise that the Arlington, TX, native believes has helped him discover his voice.

“It helps me as a frontrunner,” Willis stated final Thursday after OU’s observe. “Each time I get to undergo adversity or one thing alongside that traces, it simply helps me as a frontrunner, helps me grow to be a greater particular person. And it helps me assist my teammates which are youthful and have not been by means of it.”

Nonetheless, as Willis and his teammates adjusted to a brand new offense this offseason, questions remained about simply how a lot incoming offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby deliberate to make the most of Oklahoma’s tight ends.

Final 12 months at Ole Miss, tight ends have been nearly non-existent within the Rebels’ passing sport although Lebby’s offense ran greater than sufficient performs to unfold the wealth.

On the eve of fall camp, Lebby quelled any of these fears with a succinct reply about his plans for Willis.

“Brayden goes to be very, very concerned,” he stated. “… We’re going to play in all these completely different packages the place we’re getting completely different guys concerned. I believe it’s vital to search out methods to get our greatest guys on the sector.

“So long as we’re doing that and placing guys in place to have success, we’re going to have an opportunity to roll like we wish to.”

It might be no shock to see Willis prime his earlier career-high of 15 receptions this season, however that side of the sport isn’t what tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley is fearful about.

Over the course of the summer time, Finley was targeted on giving Willis and teammate Brandon Parker the entire instruments vital to assist carry alongside the children within the room.

“I couldn’t present up and Brayden Willis can be a heck of a soccer participant for us this 12 months,” Finley stated earlier in August. “Now it’s — I discuss to those guys on a regular basis. What’s the distinction between (Michael) Jordan and Allen Iverson or Jordan and nice basketball gamers that haven’t received championships?

“The management… That man knew easy methods to carry his teammates together with him and put together these guys for championship moments which you can’t put together for until you try this every single day in observe. And in order that’s my problem to him and Daniel Parker is like, ‘hey man you’ve gotta lead. That is y’all’s soccer crew.’”

Finley isn’t fearful about Willis’ focus or drive to enhance, both.

Embracing the truth of getting into his ultimate 12 months with the Sooners, Finley stated Willis is laser-focused on doing every little thing he can to make it to the following degree. A lot so, that Finley stated he’s needed to remind Willis to decelerate and soak within the expertise of this season at instances.

“He’s introduced it each single day since I’ve been right here,” Finley stated. “Even final 12 months. We had three guys that have been gonna play after which that man, I imply he catches 10,000 balls each single summer time. That’s lots of balls to catch on the jugs machine, you already know what I imply?

“It simply type of sneakers you the dedication that he has. That’s how locked in he’s. It’s exhausting to joke with him proper now as a result of he’s so locked in. I’m making an attempt to get him to calm down slightly bit like, ‘hey man you bought to take pleasure in these items too.’ However he’s obtained that look in his eye of willpower and I’ve simply been pleased with how he’s main the soccer crew.”

Switch quarterback Dillon Gabriel has additionally felt the influence of Willis.

The Hawaiian signal-caller stated he’s been impressed by Willis’ demeanor since he arrived at Oklahoma, and that it’s simple to see why so lots of Willis’ teammates on the offense look as much as the veteran tight finish.

“He is a fierce competitor,” Gabriel stated. “He is only a stud in each space of his life. Very calm. Additionally, when he speaks, everybody listens. You bought to have a man like that. It takes multiple man, for positive, and having a man like Brayden who has put within the time and work and energy yearly, simply seeing his progress in solely this 12 months, I can solely think about how far he is come.”

Brent Venables has revamped the tradition in Norman lower than 9 months after being on the job.

He’s tried to instill a player-led mentality and better ranges of accountability for the Sooners, and Willis is shaping as much as be the embodiment of OU’s new course in 2022.

“There is no grey space. It’s reduce and dry,” Willis stated. “For those who’re gonna do the flawed factor and you already know it’s flawed, there isn’t any getting round that. You are caught. You understand? So far as, like I stated, there isn’t any grey space.

“For those who’re doing the precise factor, you already know it is the precise factor. You are doing the flawed factor, you already know, it is the flawed factor. There is no, ‘I assumed.’ We’re all held to a sure commonplace. Greatest is the usual right here, and you already know, it is simply, that is what it’s.”

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