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Oklahoma football: Former Sooner Joe Jon Finley joins coaching staff

By Chip Rouse

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 02: Tight end Joe Jon Finley #19 of the Oklahoma Sooners is taken down by three West Virginia Mountaineers defenders at the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium January 2, 2008 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 02: Tight end Joe Jon Finley #19 of the Oklahoma Sooners is taken down by three West Virginia Mountaineers defenders at the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium January 2, 2008 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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Former Oklahoma football player Joe Jon Finley is returning to OU as an associate head coach for the offense.

Finley was a tight end at Oklahoma between 2004 and 2007 and was a member of the Sooners’ Big 12 championship teams in 2004, 2006 and 2007 coached by Bob Stoops.

The former Sooner tight end will work with the tight ends and H-backs and also have some responsibilities within special teams. He fills the staff vacancy left by Shane Beamer, who was named head coach at South Carolina in December.

Finley began his college coaching career at Oklahoma, where he served as a graduate assistant on Stoops’ staff in 2012-13.

‘He’s had great experience working for several tremendous programs, and I know he’s going to bring a lot to ours.” — OU head coach Lincoln Riley on the hiring of Joe John Finley to the coaching staff

Most recently, Finley was passing game coordinator and tight ends coach this past season at Ole Miss. The Rebels were one of the best offensive teams in college football in 2020, ranking third nationally in total offense (555.5 yards per game).

Prior to last season, he was tight ends coach at Texas A&M in 2019 and at Missouri for three seasons. In 2015, he was director of football operations and responsible for offensive quality control at Baylor.

“He (Finley) obviously had a great playing career and has established himself as one of the top tight-end coaches in the country,” said Sooner head coach Lincoln Riley in a press release issued by the OU athletic department.

“He’s had great experience working for several tremendous programs, and I know he’s going to bring a lit to ours.”

As a player at Oklahoma, Finley caught 62 passes for 775 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 62 receptions and 775 yards receiving ranks seventh on the Oklahoma career list for tight ends.

After graduating from OU, Finley was signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. He spent three seasons with the 49ers, two with the Detroit Lions and one final NFL season with the Carolina Panthers.

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