Oklahoma football: Lincoln Riley’s new secret weapon?

Lincoln Riley spent part of his most recent press conference gushing about newly-converted h-back Brayden Willis Is he about to become the new secret weapon for Oklahoma football?

While the fullback position is dying in a lot of offensive schemes, it is very much alive and well under Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma.

Thanks to his ability to put pressure on defenses and get the most out of each of his players’ skill sets, Riley has figured out a way to turn the a position many considered to be antiquated into one of the most feared in college football.

Two years ago Dimitri Flowers caught 26 passes for 464 yards and five touchdowns. Last year Carson Meier went from special teams role player to a major part of the Oklahoma offense with 19 catches for 327 yards and four scores.

That’s why Brayden Willis’ offseason move from tight end to fullback raised so many eyebrows to those familiar with Oklahoma football.

Willis wasn’t a high-level recruit. His offers included Wake Forest, Utah State, SMU, Rice, Texas State and Grambling State before Lincoln Riley happened upon him during a recruiting trip to Arlington Martin High School late in the 2018 cycle. He wasn’t offered a scholarship by the Sooners until eight days before signing day.

Still, Riley was clearly excited when he discovered the multi-talented athlete.

“That’s one of those kind of stories you look back on like, ‘Man, I’m glad we found that guy,’” Riley said to the Daily Oklahoman.

As the story goes, Riley and Cale Gundy were at Martin High School to see another prospect when a member of the coaching staff told them to check out Willis. Soon after, a late push began to get the senior to Oklahoma and become a Sooner.

Willis played a little of everything at Martin: quarterback, running back and tight end. Shifting positions meant his high school stats were never that eye-popping, leaving him off the radar of many bigger-named schools.

Martin head coach Bob Wager knew a lot of the blue blood programs would be interested once they saw how talented he was and he was eager to let Riley in on the secret.

“I think his best football is ahead of him and I think he was one of the most dominant players in Texas this year,” Wager said to the Atlanta Journal Constitution shortly after signing day 2018. “My job was take that and package that and make sure everyone understood they would be getting a great kid, a great student and a guy that will end being a captain at OU.”

Willis originally looked like he would be a tight end for the Sooners, but it’s a tough hustle to get snaps at that spot with the likes of Grant Calcaterra and Lee Morris (not to mention true freshman Austin Stogner) all already competing for playing time there.

But Willis isn’t just at h-back to provide depth and competition for redshirt sophomore Jeremiah Hall. His skills are perfect for what the Sooners love to do with the fullback – create havoc for opposing defenses.

After watching his high school tape, it’s pretty clear that Willis is already a punishing blocker, sure-handed pass catcher and dangerous open field runner.

Just imagine what Lincoln Riley can do with those abilities this year. Especially when one has to consider the tremendous attention potential All American Ceedee Lamb is going to command on the outside. Then throw in Willis’ high school quarterback experience, along with Jalen Hurts‘ foray into playing some receiver last year at Alabama and you open up all kinds of fun possibilities in the Wildcat.

Willis, of course, still has to win the job from Jeremiah Hall, which won’t be an easy task since Hall has two years’ experience at the spot and pushed Meier all fall camp last year, but it is fun to imagine what how Riley could use Willis to terrorize defenses in 2019.