Evaluating the current roster, Sooners Wire profiles the current players, with running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] up next.
There was a lot of excitement about the running back position heading into 2023 after Gavin Sawchuk and [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] each ran for 100 yards against Florida State in the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl. But offseason injuries created setbacks for the tandem.
It took a while for Sawchuk to get healthy, but once he was fully back, he took control of the running back spot and never gave it back. The former four-star prospect in the 2022 class finished the season with five 100-yard rushing efforts.
Over those final five games, Sawchuk averaged 7.2 yards per carry and 123.4 yards per game. He also scored six touchdowns and had eight receptions for 64 yards. Sawchuk ran for more than 130 yards three times and only had two games with more than 15 carries.
He was a big play threat waiting to happen. Among running backs with at least 59 carries last season, Sawchuk finished eighth in the nation in percentage of runs that went for 15 yards or more.
With another offseason to develop in the strength and conditioning program and a clear path to touches early in the season, Sawchuk has a chance to be one of the nation’s best running backs in 2024.
Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Littleton, Colorado
Ht: 5-11
Wt: 195 lbs
Class in 2024: Sophomore
247Sports Composite Ranking
4 star RB | No. 7 RB | No. 1 Player in Colorado
Career Stats
| Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Class | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2022 | FR | 2 | 17 | 105 | 6.2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 |
| *2023 | SO | 12 | 120 | 744 | 6.2 | 9 | 14 | 94 | 6.7 | 0 |
| Career | 137 | 849 | 6.2 | 10 | 15 | 102 | 6.8 | 0 |
Depth Chart Overview
Gavin Sawchuk enters 2024 as the projected starter after a strong finish to the 2023 season. The Sooners have added talent to the depth chart after it was relatively thin a year ago, but Sawchuk will get the first snaps at the position.