In one of the more surprising moves of the offseason, Oklahoma lost one of its top returning offensive talents to the transfer portal.
Trey Sermon started for much of the 2018 season after starring in a backup role in 2017. After a shaky 2019 season in what seemed like things that were out of his control, Sermon suffered a season-ending injury against Iowa State on Nov. 9.
Sermon announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Saturday morning.
— Trey Sermon (@treyera) March 14, 2020
Oklahoma returns leading rusher Kennedy Brooks, but after that, it looks bleak as long as Rhamondre Stevenson’s suspension remains in place. Here is how Sermon’s transfer will impact the Sooners in 2020.
PASS PROTECTION
To play running back in Lincoln Riley’s system, you must be a provider of time for routes to develop and time for the quarterback to see his progression through.
Over the course of Sermon’s career at Oklahoma, it was evident that was a part of the game that came natural to him. During the 2019 season when his carries started to diminish, he would be put in two-back situations alongside Brooks where Sermon would either pick up back-side run blocks on play action, lead block for Brooks or pick up blitzes.
Pass blocking as a running back is something that can be natural, and Sermon is one of those guys who didn’t need the extra hours of practice to be ready for it when he stepped in as a freshman in 2017.
EXPERIENCE
It’s Oklahoma and Oklahoma is always going to have good running backs.
Sermon, as a freshman, flashed that potential of not only being good, but being great. Whether one wants to mention the Ohio State game or the big run against Georgia in the Rose Bowl, the promise was there.
His carries did take a hit in 2019. There really isn’t a known reason why or how it turned out to be that way. When Sermon was healthy and in a starting role, his vision, elusiveness and power matched up with the best running backs in college football.
Now, Riley and the Sooners—again, pending the Stevenson suspension appeal—will rely upon T.J Pledger, who has 40 total carries in two non-redshirt seasons, redshirt freshman Marcus Major who is coming off an injury that sidelined him in 2019 and incoming freshman Seth McGowan who is already on campus as an early enrollee.
PASS-CATCHING ABILITY
With pass protection being so vital in Riley’s offense, the other is the dynamic ability out of the backfield as a receiver.
Sermon was reliable in that regard. It was showcased early in his second ever game against Ohio State and continued on through the 2019 season.
Kennedy Brooks can catch passes out of the backfield, but is better suited not to be put in downfield situations. Rhamondre Stevenson made the most of his chance when motioned out against Baylor in the historic comeback in Waco, Texas. T.J. Pledger has a chance, but outside of Trey Sermon, the do-it-all ability is hard to be found.
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