Since joining the Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff under Lincoln Riley in 2020, running backs coach [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] has been an invaluable asset on both the recruiting trail and on Saturdays.
The former NFL All-Pro was, of course, one of the coaches Brent Venables decided to hang on to when he came from Clemson.
It wasn’t all that long ago Oklahoma was known for its running backs instead of its quarterbacks. Jeff Lebby’s offense, which favors establishing the run, is yet another reason for young running backs to choose Oklahoma.
For the 2023 recruiting class, Murray has obtained commitments from No. 12 RB Daylon Smothers and No. 26 RB Kalib Hicks.
ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren has noticed Murray’s efforts to restock the Sooners’ running back room and believes the Sooners are among the best in the country recruiting running backs.
Brent Venables and the new staff came in with a tough task of replacing quite a few players who transferred out with the coaching change. Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag] both impacted the passing and run game, combining for nine rushing touchdowns. Leading rusher [autotag]Kennedy Brooks[/autotag] is off to the NFL, but the staff is returning [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag] and adding in [autotag]Bentavious Thompson[/autotag] as well as quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag].
The coaches signed ESPN 300 running backs [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] in 2022, and now have commitments from ESPN 300 back [autotag]Daylan Smothers[/autotag] and three-star [autotag]Kalib Hicks[/autotag]. – VanHaaren, ESPN
Murray seems to have a type. All four RB commits from the last two seasons are 5-foot-11 or 6 feet. All four are around the same weight. Murray weighed 220 pounds during his NFL days.
After landing Derrick LeBlanc, the Sooners have the No. 6 recruiting class in the nation for 2023.
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