Tag: Eric Gray

Three Oklahoma Sooners to watch on offense against Arkansas State

Taking a look at three Oklahoma Sooners to watch on offense vs. Arkansas State.

Saturday will mark the start of year two for Jeff Lebby as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator. While the Sooners posted some solid numbers last year, it always felt like they could’ve done more. That sentiment is something players and coaches alike have echoed throughout the offseason. Situational football was emphasized, along with consistency.

However, some significant pieces from last year’s team are no longer in Norman.

OU’s rushing attack ranked No. 10 in the country, averaging 219.4 yards per game. The offensive line responsible for that lost three starters in [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag], and [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag]. Harrison was a first-rounder to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Morris was a third-rounder to the Kansas City Chiefs. Starting running back [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag] went off and posted the ninth-best season on the ground in program history last year. He’s with the New York Giants.

[autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag] and explosive star receiver [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] will be missed in the passing game. Willis is with the San Francisco 49ers, and Mims was a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos. The two combined for 1,597 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. That’s an insane amount of production lost and presents a massive hole in the passing game.

The challenge in the offseason for Lebby was finding replacements for the names lost. Additionally, he and the offensive staff had to help develop the guys coming back this offseason. The time to prove it starts on Saturday.

With that in mind, here’s our look at three offensive players to watch for the season opener against Arkansas State.

Up Next: An Ascending Offensive Linemen

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

‘Six or seven’ Sooners to see time at wide receiver in 2023

Oklahoma’s depth at wide receiver may allow Jeff Lebby and Emmett Jones to play six or seven Sooners in 2023.

The [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners[/autotag] and the [autotag]Arkansas State Red Wolves[/autotag] are set to battle it out on the gridiron on Saturday. This offseason has been one that has felt like a century, but game week is finally here.

The Sooners coming off a 6-7 season, have a lot of questions to answer. The offense was really good a year ago but lost three key players in [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag] and [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag].

While they were really good offensively, they weren’t great. They struggled in key situations like third and fourth down, in the red zone, and late in games.

Offensive Coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] told reporters at Monday’s press conference, the Sooners feel they can play multiple players at each wide receiver position.

“The receiver spot, we talked a little bit about it last week, but I think we’ve got a chance of seeing six or seven guys,” Lebby said. “I think that’s something we are incredibly excited about is that we’ve really got a chance at playing multiple guys, which, again, was not the case as we stood here a year ago.”

The depth this season has been a common theme for coaches on both sides of the ball. It’s been mentioned almost intentionally that there wasn’t much depth a season ago, which will change this season.

But it doesn’t matter how much depth you have at the wide receiver position if your quarterback doesn’t play well. Lebby said even though he and [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] had experience together going into last season, they both learned a lot about one another.

“I think he understands now more than ever maybe why I’m calling the play that I’m calling and the intent of it,” Lebby said. “I think that’s a huge deal as you go try to attack defense and situationally understand why I’m calling things.”

That growth will be key for this season. We’ll have our first chance to see it on display inside Gaylord Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

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

Giants fall to Jets, 32-24, in Week 3 of preseason: 7 takeaways

The New York Giants fell to the New York Jets in Week 3 of the preseason and here are 7 quick takeaways from the game.

The New York Giants dropped their preseason finale to the New York Jets, 32-24, on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Here are seven takeaways from the final game of their exhibition season.

Marcus Major feels the running back group brings out the best in him

Marcus Major has become the forgotten man in the running back room, but many believe he can still make a big impact this season.

The [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners[/autotag] have a running back problem. The problem is there’s only one ball.

That’s a good problem to have if you’re [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag].

The Sooners return [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag], who as a freshman was second on the team in rushing with a little more than 500 yards. They also bring back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], who didn’t get a lot of playing time but when he got his chance in the Cheez-It Bowl he took advantage of it.

The forgotten player in the mix is [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag].

Major has dealt with injuries it feels like every year he has been at Oklahoma. However, when he’s played he’s been a big play waiting to happen. Through three games last season, there were many who thought he was the best running back on the team. That includes [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], who ran for more than 1,300 yards.

Major told reporters, the competition between him, Sawchuk and Barnes has been great.

“They’ve progressed so much since they’ve been here, it’s only made me better, it’s making each other better,” Major said. “Iron sharpens iron. I appreciate them for being here and making me go every day and making me be my best every day.”

Major is a talented running back who, when healthy, can play a big role on this team. Some feel he could be the starter in the group as long as he is healthy.

“Me being available for the team so I can do whatever I can to help this team out and just going 1-0 every week.”

For now, it remains to be seen. But the way coaches have talked about Major this offseason, don’t be shocked if he doesn’t run out on the field first on Sept. 2nd.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

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

Jovantae Barnes ‘more comfortable’ going into year two

After a solid freshman season, Jovantae Barnes is ready to take the reins from Eric Gray and be the leader for the running back group.

The [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners[/autotag] sent out one of the best running games in the nation last season. That was headlined by [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], who had a career year gaining more than 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns.

That performance helped Gray get drafted in the fifth round by the New York Giants. Much was made about the performance freshman [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] put together in the bowl game, but a player who isn’t being mentioned much is the guy who also ran for 100 yards in that game, [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag].

Barnes is thought to be the guy who steps into the Gray role. Someone who can be a leader for the group. He told reporters he’s up for the challenge.

“Some people say I did okay my freshman year but I’d say that wasn’t really me,” Barnes said. “I was just getting a feel for college and just getting my feet wet.”

Barnes rushed for more than 500 yards and had five touchdowns, including a pair of 100-yard games and two multi-touchdown performances. He feels this year, he’ll be more comfortable on the field.

“I feel like last year was a rough side trying to get to know who I’m reading or who I’m supposed to cut off of just stuff like that. Getting to the next level and I feel like now I’m more comfortable with that and I know more. I just feel more comfortable on the field. I feel like I’m having more fun because I know everything. I don’t have to worry about who is coming or who is pulling or anything like that, I know it already.”

That improvement, along with the emergence of Gavin Sawchuk, is why many feel this group could be the strength of the team. It’s a group the team will almost assuredly rely on, especially when games get tight.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

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

Giants’ Eric Gray plans to gift first TD ball to his mother

New York Giants rookie RB Eric Gray scored his first NFL touchdown this past Friday night and intends to gift his mother the football.

Eric Gray, the New York Giants’ fifth-round selection in this year’s NFL draft, could be the future of the team’s rushing attack but for now, he’s strictly going be a returner and a depth player.

Gray was a star at Oklahoma and tumbled down the draft order to Day 3, where Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen adroitly snatched him up with the 172nd overall pick.

In Friday night’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, Gray displayed his tough inside running style by battering his way up the middle for a nine-year touchdown in the second quarter.

“I thought he ran with a good pad level,” head coach Brian Daboll told reporters on Saturday. “I thought it was well blocked upfront with the line and Belly (tight end Daniel Bellinger), there was some good finish in there and he had some good leg drive and finished it off there. That’s important, you have to get the ball downhill, mainly down there in the red zone and run with good pad level and leg drive, got to block it up well.

“The space is condensed, course patterns are a lot different. There is more guys in the box, there is usually an extra guy you are going to have to either run through or run around. It was good to see him be able to finish the play in the end zone.”

Gray was asked about the play and put it in simplistic terms.

“I saw the hole and said, ‘I gotta get in, I gotta get in’ and I hope they don’t yell at me for reaching the ball over the goal line but I gotta do it for the team,” he said with a laugh.

The play was reviewed and the touchdown was upheld. Gray wanted the actual football after the play to send to his mother, who wasn’t in attendance. That might be more challenging than the touchdown itself.

“They told me it was one of the 12 footballs in the bag,” Gray said.

[lawrence-related id=714178,714149,714143]

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Giants’ Brian Daboll impressed with rookie class: They’re ‘making strides’

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll says the team’s 2023 NFL draft class is making strides each and every day.

The New York Giants selected seven players in the 2023 NFL draft and through two weeks of the preseason, every single one of them is making an impact.

Center John Michael Schmitz, cornerbacks Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins, and running back Eric Gray (return man) are all in line to start. Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt figures to play a significant role, while defensive lineman Jordon Riley and safety Gervarrius Owens also appear to be playing their way into the rotation.

Giants head coach Brian Daboll could not be happier with the group, noting that each rookie — including some undrafted rookies — is improving every single day.

“I think they have been here for quite some time after the draft process. They’ve made strides each and every day. There is a lot of things that are happening to them for the first time,” Daboll told reporters on Saturday.

Hyatt failed to make an impact during his NFL debut against the Detroit Lions and had a drop against the Panthers on Friday night, but he quickly rebounded with a 33-yard touchdown reception. It was an impressive play for a rookie facing much scrutiny.

“Just because you are not getting a lot of passes as a receiver and catches as a receiver doesn’t always necessarily mean you are not improving, and I think he’s done that since he’s been here. There is a lot to learn, he still has a lot to learn, but he’s made strides,” Daboll said of Hyatt. “He would be the first to tell you that he’s got still a lot to learn and a long way to go.”

All of the rookies do but it’s about stacking good days. Thus far, they’ve all done that.

“I think whether you are a rookie or a two-year vet, a five-year vet, you go through a process that starts back in OTAs and camp. You work hard at it, you prepare for it and if you prepare hard for it and continue to practice it, as a coach you have confidence in those players because of the amount of time and effort and energy they put into it,” Daboll said.

Like Hyatt and some others, there is a “long way to go” for Gray, as Daboll says. But also like the others, he’s been improving each day and raising his stock.

“I think he has made good decisions back there (as a return man),” Daboll said. “The more he does it, the better it is, particularly outside and in our stadium in particular with the wind. There was some good wind there last night in terms of the kicking game. He’s worked hard at it, he will continue to work hard at it and much like Jalin, I think he’s made some strides, but he’s still got a ways to go.”

The rookies have one more preseason game to play before cuts begin and for all seven, they now appear to be playing for a contributing role rather than just a roster spot itself.

[lawrence-related id=714178,714149,714143]

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Baldy Breakdown: These aren’t your father’s Giants

Brian Baldinger was impressed with the New York Giants on Friday night and reached the following conclusion: These aren’t your Dad’s Giants.

It’s difficult to judge a team based on their play throughout training camp given the rule restriction and the fact that they’re practicing against themselves. Still, it was easy to understand why the New York Giants were generating such buzz this summer.

With the exception of one joint practice against the Detroit Lions, Big Blue has looked stellar — especially on offense.

On Friday night, in a 21-19 preseason victory against the Carolina Panthers, that carried over into live game action. Lining up across from a first-team defense, quarterback Daniel Jones & Co. were surgical.

Retired offensive lineman and current NFL analyst, Brian Baldinger, was among the first to break down the tape and he came to an encouraging conclusion: These are not your Father’s Giants.

“These Giants are going to be fun to watch because they’ve got skills, they’ve got talent and they’ve got a creative mind,” Baldinger said. “It’s going to be fun.”

What really sets this Giants offense apart is the addition of tight end Darren Waller, who is a mismatch nightmare, and rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, who brings blazing speed.

Rookie running back Eric Gray also adds a different dynamic, especially when everyone is blocking out in front of him.

Baldinger zeroed in on each of those players and some stellar work upfront.

Baldinger also highlighted a unique look by defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who had his edge rusher — Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari — drop into coverage to double-team slot receivers on third down.

The look wasn’t loved by Giants fans on social media but it was effective and got the Giants the ball back.

Both offensively and defensively, the Giants provided reason for optimism if not outright confidence. There’s still plenty of work left to be done but the first-team looks dangerous on both sides of the ball.

[lawrence-related id=714137,714038,714036]

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Giants drop Panthers, 21-19, in Week 2 of preseason: 7 takeaways

The New York Giants defeated the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 of the preseason and here are 7 quick takeaways from the game.

The New York Giants defeated the Carolina Panthers, 21-19, in their preseason meeting at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Friday night.

It was an impressive showing for the first-team units, especially on offense, and provides the Giants a lot to build upon entering the final week of the preseason.

Here are seven takeaways from the Giants’ Week 2 preseason dub.

Stock up, down after Giants’ 21-19 preseason win over Panthers

Whose stock is up and whose is down following the New York Giants’ win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 of the preseason?

The New York Giants picked up a 21-19 preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers on Friday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey and there was a lot to like from the game.

The performance wasn’t perfect by any means but the development of the team, especially the offense, was on full display. There’s also growing optimism surrounding the rookie class and the impact they could have in 2023.

Whose stock is up and whose is down after the preseason victory? Let’s take a look.