Oklahoma RB Jovantae Barnes Sitting Out at Practice With Apparent Injury

The Sooners' leading returning rusher from last season was one of three running backs on the roster who did not participate in Monday's open practice.

John E. Hoover | Apr 3, 2023

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Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN — Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes was watching Monday’s open practice on a scooter with a protective wrap on his right foot or ankle.

OU opened the beginning portions of Monday’s practice — the Sooners’ seventh of this spring practice period — and Barnes was the most visible of players sitting out.

The injury is currently undisclosed and is likely .

Jovantae Barnes (2) and Chapman McKown :: John E. Hoover / AllSooners

Another running back, 2022 Washington transfer Emeka Megwa, also sat out with an undisclosed injury. Megwa was in pads but sat on a bench near the entrance next to a pair of crutches.

And freshman walk-on Chapman McKown also did not participate in drills, but instead walked the perimeter while his fellow running backs went through individual drills.

Barnes, Megwa and McKown were all fully suited up.

Barnes is the Sooners’ leading returning rusher from last season, with 519 yards five touchdowns on 116 carries. He had two 100-yard games as Eric Gray’s backup, including 108 yards and a TD on 27 carries in his first career start in the Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State.

OU will continue practice twice amore this week on Wednesday and Thursday, then practice three times each of the next two weeks, culminating in the annual Red/White Game on April 22.

Published Apr 3, 2023

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.