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Sooners Get Serious About Dominant TE

It's not hard to see that Bob Stoops would like to see his offense get a bit more physical moving forward, and it's also no secret that if there was any one player in Stoops' tenure that embodied the type of play he is looking for it's former tight end Brody Eldridge. With that in mind it's probably no coincidence that the Sooners chose to pursue a player that has drawn numerous comparisons to the former Sooner, and current Indianapolis Colt tight end.
That player is also Oklahoma's most recent commitment Brannon Green of Fort Scott (Kan.) C.C
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The 6-foot-4, 260-pound tight end has not long been a target of the Sooners but says things came together quickly when one former Sooner put in a good word for Green.
"(Former back-up quarterback) John Nimmo had mentioned my name to coach Bruce Kittle and he called me and we talked and I told him I was interested," Green recalled. "We had talked on the phone and he came this morning and talked to me and did an in-home visit."
Like Eldridge, Green is a small town Kansas product and says he is more than aware of the comparisons and thinks Oklahoma's use of the tight end is a natural fit.
"Honestly, my parents and I had talked about it and coach Kittle sold me (on being a Sooner)," he said. "I had heard about Brody and knew that he had success there and I had watched, they use their tight ends a lot.
"Really it was the coaching staff and all of the tradition that sold me."
With one tight end committed in Tallahassee (Fla.) Godby standout Laith Harlow the Sooners already have two commitments in the class of 2012 and continue to pursue San Diego (Calif.) Westview star Taylor McNamara. However, with one the impending graduation of both Trent Ratterree and James Hanna the amount of on-campus talent at tight end is in short supply.
It's well known that Max Stevenson has redshirted this year, but what isn't so clear is the status of former Rivals250 tight end, Austin Haywood. According to what Kittle had to say about their situation the Sooner staff is far from considering Haywood a part of the team after he quit the team, and quick attempt to return earlier this season.
"They said they are bringing in a freshman and have a sophomore there as well," he said. "
Green says that he is now done with the recruiting process in spite of an earlier commitment to UConn and will be taking his trip to Norman for the banquet weekend of Dec. 16. With the whirlwind nature of his recruitment and commitment has the reality of his future in Norman starting in just a month sunk in as of yet?
"It has a little bit, but I've been real busy today with everything, I'm sure it will though and I hope I can be an example to small town kids that it is possible to do things like this," he explained. "But, it has sunk in, at least a little bit."
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