How Oklahoma Has Rebuilt its Depth at Running Back Over the Offseason

After struggling to find consistency last year, the Sooners appear to have a handful of solid options at tailback heading into 2024.

Oklahoma's Jovantae Barnes, left, and Gavin Sawchuk / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Early in the 2023 season, Oklahoma struggled to find its identity at running back.

Former walk-on Tawee Walker and Oklahoma City product Marcus Major took the majority of the team's carries throughout the first half of the year. Walker recorded at least 10 carries in three of team's first seven games while Major toted the rock at least 15 times in three of OU's first seven matchups.

Marcus Major puts the game away for the #Sooners against SMU.

Check out my full highlight video: https://t.co/45KQHYvc4H pic.twitter.com/Qp2HLjaEpi

— Randall Sweet (@RandallSweet5) September 10, 2023

Walker turned in impressive performances against SMU and Kansas, yet neither back was able to be a true difference maker for the Sooners' offense.

Many observers expected Jovantae Barnes to help contribute at running back in 2023 after racking up over 500 rushing yards and five touchdowns as a true freshman, but injuries hampered the former 4-star recruit last season as Barnes recorded just 37 carries for 140 yards and a touchdown.

With Barnes dealing with injuries and Walker and Major not producing enough to be featured backs in Norman, the Sooners were left searching for answers until midway through the year.

After working through an injury suffered during fall camp last summer, Gavin Sawchuk finally began to emerge for DeMarco Murray and company in Week 7 against Central Florida. The Littleton, CO, product broke off a long run to help close out Oklahoma's win over UCF, finishing with 63 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Two weeks later against Oklahoma State, Sawchuk took over as the team's featured back, tallying 13 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown in Stillwater. After crossing the century mark for the first time all year against the Cowboys, Sawchuk began to find his rhythm, rushing for over 100 yards in each of OU's final five games.

Now, Sawchuk returns to OU as the team''s incumbent starter and should be poised for an even bigger year after getting to fully participate in fall camp.

"It's really like one of my first camps fully healthy, fully back out there, so it's been great," Sawchuk said after practice on Tuesday. "The team's been getting together well, getting that chemistry right. It's feeling great. ... Putting on a little bit more weight, talking with nutrition, just being able to take a couple more hits. But also being a little bit stronger, being able to deliver the blow a little bit more, so I'm not taking so much."

Behind Sawchuk, who finished with more than 740 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground last season, the Sooners should have much better depth in 2024.

According head coach Brent Venables, Barnes has looked impressive through fall camp and is also fully healthy once again. During a media viewing of practice last week, Barnes looked strong and powerful, yet much quicker and more agile when going through drills.

If Barnes can stay healthy through camp and during the season, it seems likely that he will factor into Oklahoma's running back rotation.

"(Barnes has) been battling through a lot of adversity. That's one thing about Jovante, he battles, he fights," Sawchuk said. "He's a hard worker. No matter what it is, he's going to go out there and give 110% every single time. So he's been working hard, he's been grinding. He's been really good. So I'm happy for him. I know he's been through a lot, finally things are coming into place. He's taking advantage of everything he's doing.

He's showed he's the same guy every day. He's consistent, a hard worker, he's going to bring that same effort, that same energy every day. So just being out at fall camp alone, seeing him, seeing him back into his groove, back and doing his things like, it's just been great. I'm excited for him, happy for him. And it brings also that level of competition, just having different backs in there and he's a great teammate as well, so supportive other people to helping them out whenever they need anything. So he's been great."

In addition to Sawchuk and Barnes, OU has a handful of backs who could make an impact as the team plays out its inaugural season in the SEC.

Kalib Hicks is another unproven back who physically looks the part and had a solid showing in the Sooners' spring game, but has yet to receive a real opportunity during the regular season. Sam Franklin came to Norman from UT Martin after racking up over 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns last year at the FCS level.

Perhaps the most anticipated running back on Oklahoma's roster, however, is true freshman Taylor Tatum.

---

READ MORE: Oklahoma's Dynamic Duo of Freshman RBs Are 'Hitting the Thing Full Speed'

---

Rated the No. 1 tailback in the nation coming out of Longview (TX), Tatum has already received high praise from his teammates, including starting quarterback Jackson Arnold.

"Taylor has adds a unique passing level to our game," Arnold said. "Whether he can line up in the empty or do whatever, put him in the passing game. He's very versatile. He's definitely a really good option for this year."

While Tatum likely won't usurp Sawchuk or Barnes during his first year on campus, especially after arriving in the summer, the highly touted prospect seems likely to play his way onto the field and could serve as a solid depth option to flank Sawchuk, Barnes and the Sooners other running backs.

---