We are through Week 4 of the 2023 season. The Oklahoma Sooners have shown improvement in a lot of areas on both sides of the ball. However, one area that has gotten worse through four games is the running game.
Last year the running game was top 10 in the nation. This year it’s currently ranked t-50th, and that will almost assuredly go down after another pedestrian game on Saturday. The Sooners ran for 103 yards on 3.0 yards per carry.
Going into this game, we knew it’d be tough sledding for the rushing attack. The Cincinnati Bearcats have one of the best defensive lines in the Big 12, if not the nation.
Things didn’t go well early, but they were able to get some things going in the second half.
Offensive Coordinator Jeff Lebby talked to reporters after the game about why that might be.
“We got into a little more in a rhythm running the football,” Lebby said. ” I thought the backs did a really nice job. Then I thought we finished our blocks a little bit better. It gave our guys a chance to go win.”
The biggest head-scratcher has been the lack of opportunities for Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk in the offense. These were two freshmen who showed promise last year, and both went over 100 yards in their bowl game vs. a very good Florida State Seminoles team. But so far this year, both have been non-existent.
Lebby said it could be whoever has the hot hand moving forward. “Marcus (Major). Really wanted him to go be able to get into a rhythm,” Lebby said. “(He) had a really good week and wanted him to have the bulk of the carries today. He was able to do that for us and took care of the ball. We’ve got to be better all the way around.”
So, for now, we will have to wait and see which running back takes the reigns of this battle.
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