The Oklahoma Sooners run game has begun to find some answers. Facing an Ole Miss team that was No. 1 in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game and yards per carry, the Sooners ground game came through in a big way.
According to Pro Football Focus, who takes sack yardage out of the rushing totals, the Sooners ran for 208 yards on 40 carries. That’s an average of 5.2 yards per carry. Barnes was quick to find the whole and churned out a lot of positive runs, even if they didn’t all go for big gains. He ran for 67 yards on 16 carries, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
Arnold showed off his athleticism and toughness picking up 99 rush yards, 71 of which came in the scramble game.
True freshman running back Taylor Tatum had a solid performance as well. He carried the ball nine times for 42 yards. He lost a fumble, highlighting some ball security issues, but has shown he’s got the talent to be a dynamic weapon in the Sooners offense. He just has to protect the ball better.
New play caller and co-offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley was pleased with the success Oklahoma had in the run game.
“Nobody rushes the ball on these guys like we did,” new offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley said after the game. “Those are things you can build upon … It’s in there. We just got to be more consistent. Do it for one half, now we got to do it for a complete game.”
While the Oklahoma Sooners offensive line struggled to pass protect on the final few drives, they did a great job in the ground game, providing better lanes for Barnes, Arnold, and Tatum to run through.
Over the final four games, the Oklahoma Sooners will need their run game to continue to be efficient for them.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.