Blake Bell switching to tight end
— -- Blake Bell will spend his final year at Oklahoma lining up at tight end.
Bell started eight games at quarterback for the Sooners in 2013, passing for 1,648 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions. As a freshman and sophomore, he made a name for himself as the "Belldozer" in OU's short-yardage offense.
Sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight was the MVP of the Sooners' 45-31 win over Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl and is expected to be OU's starter in 2014, sparking Bell's decision to move to tight end.
"Even though he could graduate and go somewhere, he wants to finish out and try tight end," coach Bob Stoops said. "I think it's a great fit. Blake has the size, the athleticism, the speed to do that, and he's exhibited his toughness through the years."
Bell's move to tight end, along with the transfer of junior Kendal Thompson, leaves the Sooners with a couple of freshmen behind Knight.
Redshirt freshman Cody Thomas and true freshman Justice Hansen, who enrolled early and is already on campus, are likely to battle to back up Knight in the fall.
Former Texas Tech quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Big 12's offensive freshman of the year in 2013, has transferred to OU and will walk on to the team, but he is ineligible to play during the upcoming season due to transfer rules.
"I met him for the first time last night, we had a team meal, and he came up and introduced himself," Stoops said of Mayfield. "He said he always wanted to be here, so we'll give him that opportunity."
