Tag: demarco murray

What does Marcus Major’s return mean for the Oklahoma Sooners?

With reports that Marcus Major has been deemed eligible by the NCAA, what does his return mean for the Oklahoma Sooners?

Earlier Friday afternoon, the Oklahoma Sooners received some major (pun intended) news. Running back Marcus Major was deemed eligible to return to the Oklahoma Sooners after being cleared by the NCAA. It’s a pretty significant development for the Oklahoma Sooners. They’ve made it through five games so far without any significant injuries to the two scholarship running backs on the roster in Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray.

Major spent all winter, spring, and summer preparing for what was going to be a big opportunity to join a consistent rotation of backs and was ruled ineligible weeks before the team broke fall camp.

What does Major being back mean for the Sooners this season? First and foremost, it gives them depth at a position of serious need. Running backs take beatings like no other position in the sport of football, and as a result, injuries are much more likely. Having Major gives Oklahoma a bit of an opportunity to keep their backs fresh and lessen the likelihood of injury.

His return also allows the head coach and play-caller Lincoln Riley to take the proverbial bubble wrap off Gray and Brooks. The Sooners didn’t go full Air Raid, but at times (see: West Virginia), they tilted too far to the pass in terms of balance. Riley has had an almost perfect split in run:pass ratio since arriving in Norman, and this year at times, he’s had to abandon that.

Some of that was because of the offensive line play, some of that was a personal decision, and some of it had to do with the fact he really can’t run the ball when you have two scholarship running backs. Riley and running back coach DeMarco Murray offered votes of confidence in walk-ons Todd Hudson and Jaden Knowles but having another scholarship running back serves as a buffer.

Look for an uptick in the usage of Riley using 20 (2 RBs, 0 TEs) and 21 personnel (2 RBs, 0 TEs).

Though he’s been reportedly practicing with the team, It’s uncertain how much Marcus Major will factor into the game plan against the Texas Longhorns. However, as the season rolls on, look for Major to slot right into the rotation and try and build off his Cotton Bowl performance, where he had nine carries for 110 yards and a touchdown.

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What are the Sooners getting in DeAndre Moore Jr?

What are the Oklahoma Sooners getting from 2023 five-star commit DeAndre Moore Jr?

The Oklahoma Sooners don’t have any plans to slow down in recruiting for the 2023 class. They started strong and have remained strong through the summer into the fall. The start was strong enough that they lay claim to the nation’s number one recruiting class as it currently stands on 247Sports.

The latest member to join the class is DeAndre Moore Jr. He’s really a five-star athlete with the ability to play wide receiver or safety at the Power 5 level. Currently, the Sooners have plans to use him as a wide receiver when he gets on campus. Here’s what Oklahoma is getting in DeAndre Moore Jr:

Moore’s film showcases why he’s going to be a dangerous weapon for the Sooners’ offense. Moore routinely wins out of the slot and lined up outside.

He’s listed at 5’11 190 pounds and could conceivably grow another inch or so before he even laces up his cleats to play for Oklahoma. Moore’s ability to run and threaten defensive backs vertically opens up underneath and intermediate routes for himself. He looks comfortable catching passes in awkward spots like falling backward or adjusting mid-air over defenders.

His ability to stack receivers and get them out of their backpedal due to his speed will help him push for early playing time as the Sooners are always looking for guys to help open up the vertical passing game. He has strong hands and a wide catch radius as well. Moore missed an entire year of high school due to COVID which was a reason for his transfer to Los Alamitos High School.

As with many high school receivers that look to make the transition from high school to college, the biggest thing Moore will have to compete with is himself in the weight room. Defensive backs in college are stronger and more like to put hands on him coming out of his releases. More strength will allow him to play through and let his legs and feet do what they do best.

Personally, I love the way he attacks the ball in the air. It never feels like he’s waiting for it to come to him. He looks like he’s going to get it. Take a look below as he is catching a touchdown pass from his current and future teammate at Oklahoma, Malachi Nelsonn.

 

Moore is confident and has good lateral quickness in short routes as well. He’s not afraid to go and get a ball despite being listed at just 5’11.

Lincoln Riley, DeMarco Murray, and Dennis Simmons are doing major work right now surrounding Caleb Williams and Malachi Nelson with the players to be successful. The work on the recruiting trail can and will pay massive dividends on the field when the time comes.

Did Jaden Knowles and Todd Hudson do enough to ease RB depth concerns?

In the Oklahoma Sooners 76-0 win over Western Carolina, Jaden Knowles and Todd Hudson were productive, but did they do enough to answer the questions about the running back room?

Tumultuous. That’s it. That’s the one word that can be used to describe Oklahoma’s winter, spring, and summer in the running back room.

Following the Oklahoma Sooners’ thrashing of the Florida Gators in the Cotton Bowl, head coach Lincoln Riley and running backs coach DeMarco Murray thought they would head into this season with a stable of some really great running backs. Flash forward to now and things did not pan out remotely close to how they envisioned them.

We documented those troubles in detail right here.  However, we are here to discuss the running backs of this season. More specifically, the two guys on the team that aren’t on scholarship, who will play a vital role going forward.

Jaden Knowles and Todd Hudson round out a paper-thin running back room as they back up Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray. Gray and Brooks are the featured guys, and for good reason, but where do Knowles and Hudson fit in?

Both are walk-ons and got their chance to show something in meaningful game action in the Sooners dismantling of Western Carolina University. Knowles, a redshirt junior had four carries for 37 yards and two rushing touchdowns and added two catches for 67 yards to close out a pretty productive night. Hudson, a redshirt sophomore was able to tote the rock nine times for 25 yards and two touchdowns.

Obviously, the competition wasn’t the toughest but a key component to being a running back is holding on to the ball. Knowles and Hudson did that on Saturday.

Barring injury, it’s hard to envision a time where either see the field with a game still in doubt. Riley and Murray will ride the wheels of Gray and Brooks until the wheels fall off. They have to. They offer things that Knowles and Hudson don’t. Most notably in size, speed, and big-game experience. However, there’s reason to believe if one of the main two goes down, Riley and Murray will probably have a little bit more confidence in one of the walk-ons stepping into a significant role. They almost have to. They know the plays, the responsibilities and it’s easier to plug them in on the fly as opposed to try and shift the position of a wide receiver and turn them into a running back in the middle of a game week.

Is the verdict a yes or no? There’s just not enough evidence to accurately give a definitive answer. Knowles and Hudson gave their coaches something to think about and that’s much more than either envisioned coming into the season. Only time will tell when or if they will actually be called upon in a significant moment or game.

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Where does the 2008 OU offense rank among the best since 2000?

Where does the Oklahoma Sooners 2008 offense rank among the best in college football since 2000?

The Oklahoma Sooners have been known for great offensive football for much of the last 20 years. They’ve produced some of the best offensive seasons in football. From the National Championship team that was rolling teams until Josh Heupel’s elbow injury forced them to take a more defensive approach to the Lincoln Riley era that’s produced an incredible run of quarterback play, the Sooners have been an offensive explosion waiting to happen since the turn of the century.

As the Sooners get ready to (hopefully) put on an incredible offensive display in week 2 of the season against the Western Carolina Catamounts, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report took a look back and ranked the top 10 offenses since the 2000 season, and the Oklahoma Sooners came in fourth.

The 2008 Oklahoma squad dropped two games, but ignoring this offense would be foolish considering it set a then-FBS record with 716 points for the season.

Led by Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, the Sooners put up 60-plus points in five straight games. They steamrolled second-ranked Texas Tech 65-21, rolled No. 11 Oklahoma State 61-41 and crushed No. 19 Missouri 62-21 for the Big 12 championship.

Bradford posted 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns, and OU averaged a nation-leading 51.1 points. Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray both ran for 1,000-plus yards, and five receivers tallied at least 500 yards with Juaquin Iglesias (1,150) leading the way. – Miller

The Sooners were incredible that season. They scored 50 or more points in nine of their 14 contests, including five straight games of 60 points to close Big 12 play, including the Big 12 championship game.

Not only did Sam Bradford throw for 50 touchdowns, but he also rushed for five, and the Sooners as a team rushed for 40 touchdowns on the season. Bradford led the way, but it was an incredibly well-balanced attack as Oklahoma gained 180 more yards per game than their opposition.

Per 247Sports Former Sooners’ running back Tre Bradford re-enrolls at LSU

After departing the University of Oklahoma a week and a half ago, it became official late last night that Tre Bradford was returning to LSU per 247Sports.

The winding saga that is the Tre Bradford story has reached a conclusion, at least for now. Bradford, who transferred to the University of Oklahoma in the Spring from LSU left the program just a week and a half before the Oklahoma Sooners’ season opener.

According to reports at the time, he was looking toward returning to LSU. Well, it became official late last night that the former Tiger turned Sooner is now a Tiger again per 247Sports.

Bradford’s time with the Sooners never really got rolling and it’s still a mystery as to what went wrong here. Sooners’ head coach Lincoln Riley didn’t know what to say about the situation but admitted that Bradford was a player that they “flat out missed on” in the transfer portal.

It was incredibly unfortunate timing as the Sooners just lost Marcus Major to academic ineligibility. The Sooners running back depth took a hit two weeks ago with back-to-back losses to the group. Oklahoma has just two scholarship running backs on the depth chart in Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray. Walk-ons Jaden Knowles and Todd Hudson were expected to get snaps in the wake of the losses of Major and Bradford, but neither saw a touch in the Sooners 40-35 win over Tulane on Saturday.

The Tigers now get a player back who many in Norman thought very highly of. From his fellow running backs to running backs coach DeMarco Murray, to Lincoln Riley, each of them praised the ability he displayed in practices.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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Much ado about something? A look at the Oklahoma running back position over the last few years

A look at how things have gone for OU’s running backs and a look at what there is to look forward to going forward.

Like life, college football personnel has its highs and lows. There are times where you’re able to recruit, develop and send players to the league at an astonishing rate. Conversely, there are times when you experience turbulence within a position group seemingly every year.

It may be on field production (or lack thereof) or off the field issues that just deplete your position group.

The Oklahoma Sooners over the last decade have seen both sides of the coin.

From recruiting guys like Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon, Rodney Anderson and watching them go to the NFL to having running backs transfer in and practice for less than 14 practices and then transfer back out in less than 2 months, OU has seen it all of late.

Let’s take a look at the Sooners running back issues and where they are headed going into the future.

Jay Boulware, former Sooners running back coach helped recruit the men mentioned previously in Perine, Mixon and Anderson. Much to the chagrin of the Sooners faithful, he will be remembered for his misses in recruiting in the state of Texas more than anything.

He was let go largely due to the lack of production and development of guys he brought in. In stepped DeMarco Murray.

Murray, a former Sooners running back who went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans took over after his first coaching stint at the University of Arizona.

Murray has suffered from some of the same issues Boulware dealt with. Failures to close on guys that were seemingly within reach (Camar Wheaton) or having to deal with suspensions/ineligible guys (Seth McGowan, Marcus Major, Mikey Henderson). The latest wave of running back problems has left OU with two scholarship running backs in a year where the Sooners are more equipped to win the national title than they’ve been since 2008.

How do they bounce back going forward to push this horrible string of mishaps and lack of depth behind them?

It starts with the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes first and foremost. OU is at a big disadvantage with a week until the start of the 2021 season. There’s no real solution for this year outside of hoping walk on Jaden Knowles can be serviceable and eat some carries to spell Eric Gray and Kennedy Brooks.

That’s also contingent on Brooks and Gray remaining healthy. Things could get real desperate if one/both is injured at any point.

H-Back Jeremiah Hall will likely see carries this year too. Just maybe a receiver lower on the depth chart converts over or Micah Bowens (transfer QB from Penn State with some real mobility) steps up and becomes a RB.

Regardless, this year’s problems will have to be fixed in house.

2022 will see Raleek Brown, Gavin Sawchuk and possibly one more RB (high school recruit or grad transfer) come in to Oklahoma for next season. One of the duo of Gray and Brooks is almost a lock to leave for the NFL after this season with Brooks being the likely one. Gray could leave if he has the season that many anticipate and the Sooners win the national title.

In that scenario four running backs at minimum would need to find their way to OU next year assuming Marcus Major is eligible next year of course.

Four-star running back Jovantae Barnes out of Las Vegas, Nevada has a close relationship with RB coach Murray. Can Murray seal the deal and fight off Alabama and USC for the young man’s pledge?

In 2023, Treyaun Webb has gotten the ball rolling for running backs. Listed as the nation’s no. 3 RB on 247Sports, Webb is an excellent notch on the belt of Murray as long as he can keep him in the fold for the next two years. Guys like Richard Young and Reuben Owens are other names the Sooners are looking at for the class of 2023.

There’s no doubt some of the issues that OU has faced are completely out of the control of the guys in the program. But as we all know to be true, being proactive instead of reactive is the way to go.

Grinding on the recruiting trail and locking down these recruits will go a long way to providing stability in OU’s running back room and preventing such turnover and uncertainty heading into future seasons.

Non-conference schedule presents opportunity to discover running back depth for Oklahoma

With questions at running back, the Oklahoma Sooners’ top priority in non-conference play will be to figure out their running back depth.

It’s been a tumultuous 10 months for the Oklahoma Sooners running back position. A roller coaster ride that would scare off even the biggest thrill-seeker.

First, last year’s starter at running back, T.J. Pledger, left for Utah via the transfer portal. Kennedy Brooks returned from his COVID opt-out season. Rhamondre Stevenson declared for the NFL draft. Eric Gray arrived in Norman from Tennessee. Seth McGowan and Mikey Henderson were dismissed from the team. Then Tre Bradford arrived to provide depth for a Sooners backfield that saw a ton of turnover this spring.

But apparently, the turnover wasn’t finished. With just eight days until the Oklahoma Sooners open the 2021 season against the Tulane Green Wave, the Sooners were dealt another blow at the running back position with the loss of Marcus Major, who was deemed academically ineligible for the fall of 2022. A day later, the Sooners lost Tre Bradford, who presumably is heading back to LSU, returning to a team he departed just months prior.

The Oklahoma Sooners have options at running back in redshirt junior Jaden Knowles and redshirt sophomore Todd Hudson. However, they’re largely unproven players who haven’t touched the ball much for the Sooners in a game.

Though most of the significant workload will go to Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray, the Sooners have to find a reliable player to take those third running back snaps. The non-conference schedule will be a huge opportunity for the Sooners to find out who will take those third running back snaps.

Oklahoma has options in H-Back Jeremiah Hall, as well as Knowles and Hudson. Hall hasn’t carried the ball much in his career with the Sooners, but he’s an option that can be used as a running back in the passing game. He’s a good pass protector and has excellent hands.

If they’re able to get up big in games against Tulane, Western Carolina, and Nebraska as is being projected, Lincoln Riley and DeMarco Murray will have a fantastic opportunity to figure out their running back depth chart as they enter Big 12 play.

Brooks and Gray will lead the way, but in the event of an injury, the Sooners need to find a reliable option to run behind their top two runners. That answer may not be apparent at this point, but the Sooners coaching staff will need to work something out in quick order.

Twitter reacts to Tre Bradford’s departure from Sooners

Is it business as usual or are the #Sooners championship dreams already over? Twitter had a wide variety of reaction to the surprising news about Tre Bradford.

Just 24 hours ago, we discussed how Marcus Major’s ineligibility would impact OU’s backfield. Now, for the second time in as many days, Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners are suddenly without another running back in Tre Bradford.

Bradford’s unexpected departure leaves running backs coach DeMarco Murray in strange territory. On the one hand, there is no immediate cause for alarm as Oklahoma still possesses two starting-caliber backs in Eric Gray and Kennedy Brooks (with two more four-star prospects on the way in 2022).

On the other hand, the Sooners have no immediate depth. And if something unthinkable were to happen to either Gray or Brooks, then a position of strength within the offense could become an unexpected liability.

As you could imagine, back-to-back blows to the running back room have sent social media into a frenzy. Especially with the season opener versus Tulane just nine days away.

While some are downplaying the Sooners’ bad luck, others declare their title hopes dead before the season even begins.

Others are simply choosing to smile through the pain.

While whispers that Bradford is returning to LSU are nothing more than speculation at this time, here’s what Patrick Conn of LSU Tigers Wire had to say about the notion: 

Given his familiarity with the running back room, could Tre Bradford find his way back to Baton Rouge with LSU? This is pure speculation but it would make sense if he suddenly had a change of heart. Bradford was expected to be the No. 3 for Oklahoma, but with the injury concerns surrounding Tyrion Davis-Price and John Emery Jr, he could see more playing time this season with the Tigers.

Both Bradford’s reason for leaving the Sooners and his desired landing spot is unknown. What we do know, however, is that we haven’t heard the last of this story.  Sooners Wire will provide updates as they are made available.

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What Marcus Major’s ineligibility means for OU’s backfield

Sooners running back Marcus Major was expected to take the next step in 2021. What does his sudden ineligibility mean for the Oklahoma backfield?

Sooner Scoop reported Tuesday afternoon that redshirt sophomore Marcus Major had been ruled academically ineligible for the 2021 season.

The running back’s sudden removal from the offense comes as a shock to many. Major has been practicing in front of the media throughout fall camp and received high praise from running backs coach DeMarco Murray as recently as last week.

He made huge leaps individually last year just throughout practice. You could probably see it the last six or seven weeks of the season. Was probably practicing better than anyone. He’s a young guy. Obviously, he didn’t get a ton of reps last year, but he’s a guy that’s been around awhile, knows the system. His development… since I’ve been here has only been increasing. So, he’s done a good job for us.

With the season opener versus Tulane 10 days away, an unexpected opportunity has appeared for LSU transfer Tre Bradford.

Both Murray and Lincoln Riley love the versatility Bradford brings to Norman. While he has only been a Sooner since the middle of June, he possesses the speed and work ethic needed to bulldoze his way into the regular-season rotation.

Major’s ineligibility could also lead the Sooners to use Jeremiah Hall as more of a halfback (or at least pretend to). Hall had one rushing attempt in 2020 and has never had more than four in a single season. Though he may not have carried the ball much, his receiving prowess makes him a weapon in the passing game. The suddenly-depleted backfield could allow Hall to showcase his versatility in 2021 with increased work as a running back.

While starting running backs Eric Gray and Kennedy Brooks were going to receive a ton of snaps regardless of Major’s eligibility, Hall and Bradford could suddenly be looking at a much different 2021 season.

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DeMarco Murray and Oklahoma eyeing the nation’s top back in 2023

Oklahoma keeps it rolling in the 2023 class, top running back lists Sooners among top schools.

Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners have been on a roll with the 2023 recruiting class. They already have four pledges from top athletes at their positions despite it being still quite early in the process. They don’t seem to be slowing.

On Saturday, OU received its latest commitment: five-star athlete Makai Lemon of Los Alamitos. The Sooners have gone all over the country to find their talent in the class. They could be in the hunt for the nation’s top running back, Richard Young of Lehigh, Florida.

That ranking is for good reason. Young is a home-run threat at the running back position. He shows good contact balance, and he can be quite elusive in the open field. Young has the ability to make a house call every time he touches the football. DeMarco Murray has to be salivating at the idea of adding him to a running back room that could have Raleek Brown, Gavin Sawchuk and Treyaun Webb. The trio has already committed to the class.

Young announced his top 10 schools on Sunday.

Richard Young’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
247 4 29 9 1
Rivals 4 27 – –
ESPN 4 13 4 1
247 Composite 5 17 5 1

Vitals

Hometown Lehigh Acres, Florida
Projected Position Running Back
Height 6-0
Weight 190

Recruitment

  • Offered on Feb. 22, 2021
  • No official visit scheduled

Offers

  • Oklahoma
  • Alabama
  • Clemson
  • Florida
  • Florida State
  • Georgia
  • Miami (Fl)
  • Ohio State
  • Oregon
  • USC

Crystal Ball

No crystal ball predictions at the time of publication

Film

Twitter

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