Oklahoma Spring Depth Chart Preview: RBs Have Experience, But Who's No. 1?

Jovantae Barnes had a strong start to last year, but Xavier Robinson had a memorable finish, and plenty of others have made their case.

Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Oklahoma opens spring practice March 6, and Year 4 under Brent Venables needs to be a good one.

After going 6-7 in two of his first three seasons, Venables’ tenure as the Sooners’ head coach is in the spotlight more than ever. The Sooners’ spring game on April 12 could be quite revealing.

In this series, Sooners On SI previews OU’s 2025 spring by breaking down the depth chart at each position. Next up: running backs:

———

Who knows what Oklahoma’s running back depth chart will look like this spring?

In reality, probably not even RB coach DeMarco Murray.

Ever since Eric Gray graduated to the NFL, Murray has spent the last two season shuffling back and forth between starters and backups and reserves.

One guy gets hot and has a big game, then is relegated to the bench and might not get any carries the next game. Then someone who’s been on the bench for two weeks finds himself in the starting lineup suddenly getting 16 carries.

Murray’s trail of breadcrumbs has been hard to follow at times, but his methodology has resulted in a versatile backfield in which just about everyone has been ready whenever their moment came.

As OU rebuilds and retools across the whole offense — Ben Arbuckle is the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the wide receivers and tight ends have been almost completely refitted, and the offensive line was in flux throughout 2024 and still needs work — it’s Murray’s group who returns virtually intact this spring.

Jovantae Barnes begins his senior year coming off his best season as a Sooner — but just barely. As a freshman, he ran for 519 yards and five touchdowns (4.5 average), and last year he rushed for 577 yards and five TDs (4.7). 

Barnes had his first career 200-yard day last season (203 against Maine) but sustained a late ankle injury and didn’t play again the rest of the season.

Barnes has always been a run-to-contact back, but he played a career-high 383 offensive snaps last season and the more he ran, the more elusive and electrifying he became. After averaging just 2.7 yards after contact per carry in his first four games, he averaged 3.9 in his final five.

Oklahoma Sooners running back Gavin Sawchuk / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gavin Sawchuk began the 2024 season as the starter because he’d been the Sooners’ best back in 2023, finishing the season with a string of five consecutive 100-yard games and leading the team with 744 yards (6.2 yards per carry). But with a completely rebuilt offensive line in front of him, Sawchuk could never come close to that form last season, finishing with just 128 rushing yards on 39 carries and averaging just 3.3 yards per attempt.

Sawchuk’s overall offensive grade, according to Pro Football Focus, dipped from 73.7 in ’23 to 59.6 in ’24. He averaged just 2.1 yards after contact per carry last year and never found space to unleash his home run speed. Per PFF data, Sawchuk had just one run of 15 yards or more last season (a 21-yarder), but the year before, he averaged 28.8 yards on 14 such rushes.

Oklahoma running back Taylor Tatum / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

If Barnes or Sawchuk aren’t up to the task, Murray will have a pair of talented sophomores he can go to — and often did last year as freshmen.

Taylor Tatum played in 11 games in 2023 and garnered 56 rushing attempts for 278 yards (5.0 average) and three touchdowns. The versatile and explosive Tatum also caught five passes for 41 yards and scored one touchdown, and even threw two times, with one going for a TD. 

But Tatum struggled in two major areas: ball security and pass protection. As a blocker, he was credited with allowing just one sack and two hurries, but he also allowed 24 QB pressures, according to PFF. The one sack produced a fumble and a defensive touchdown. He also fumbled four times himself last season.

He’ll need to be more mature in those areas to make a lasting impression in Norman.

Oklahoma running back Xavier Robinson / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Xavier Robinson was a bit of an x-factor during his freshman season. He didn’t play at all in the first six games, revealing that he had come in last spring overweight and out of shape. Then he got minimal action in three games (including a 46-yard reception and a bruising short touchdown run against Maine). Then he exploded onto the scene over the final three games: nine carries for 56 yards at Missouri, 18 carries for 107 yards and two TDs against Alabama and 10 carries for 20 yards and a score at LSU. He also caught nine passes for 54 yards in that three-game stretch.

But then against Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl, Robinson got just eight total touches for 45 yards.

Robinson runs with pace, authority and confidence, and he always finishes a run leaning forward and gaining extra yards. He’ll be hard to deny after a full offseason in the strength and conditioning program.

---

More Oklahoma Spring Depth Chart Previews

(Follow these links to catch up)
Feb. 26: Defensive Back 
Feb. 27: Wide Receiver
Feb. 28: Linebacker

March 1: Running Back
March 2: Defensive Line
March 3: Offensive Line
March 4: Tight End
March 5: Special Teams
March 6: Quarterback

---

Three players left via the transfer portal, but neither Kalib Hicks, Emeka Megwa or Chapman McKown had made an impact on the depth chart in their time in Norman.

Murray landed one incoming freshman — 6-1, 198-pound Tory Blaylock, a 4-star prospect from Humble, TX — who hopes he can do what Barnes did three years ago as Gray’s backup. But while Oklahoma doesn’t have an obvious RB1, any attempt to climb to the top will be crowded.

OU had two newcomers from last year who are still looking to make their path.

Speedy senior Sam Franklin, a nearly 1,400-yard rusher in 2023 who averaged 6.2 yards per carry at Tennessee-Martin, played in 12 games last season but only logged 18 carries for 132 yards to go with five receptions for 18 yards.

And Andy Bass, a preferred walk-on freshman from Oklahoma City, returned from a knee injury late last season only to suffer another knee injury. If he could have stayed healthy ahead of the Armed Forces Bowl, he might be in line for a busy spring. Instead, he’ll spend another offseason rehabbing.

•

Former Oklahoma Offensive Lineman Lands at West Virginia

•

Trio Hopes to Keep Oklahoma's NFL Draft Streak Alive

•

Oklahoma’s Gavin Sawchuk, Running Backs Adjusting Well to New-Look Offense

•

Oklahoma Lands Commitment from Transfer Portal Defensive Tackle

•

David Stone Withdraws From Transfer Portal, Returns to Oklahoma