OU backfield depth faces major issue
NORMAN — OU’s depth at running back has reportedly taken a hit.
Marcus Major, the redshirt sophomore from Millwood — who figured to get carries behind Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray — will miss the season due to academic issues, SoonerScoop.com reported on Tuesday.
The loss of Major would leave the
Sooners with just three scholarship running backs, with LSU transfer Tre Bradford joining Brooks and Gray at the position.
Tuesday, before the report on Major’s status, Sooners coach Lincoln Riley was asked about his comfort level having Brooks and Gray, who he has described as both starters, as part of the group.
“It’s having not only two good players but both of those guys have played a lot of ball, been in big atmospheres, big games,” Riley said. “You can certainly tell. And then with some of the attrition in that room, not that we could have predicted it, but it’s made it even more important and made those guys even more valuable.”
Major had a career game in the Sooners’ finale last season, rushing for a career-high 110 yards and nine carries in the Cotton Bowl win over Florida. He finished the season with 187 yards and three touchdowns — including a 46-yarder in that bowl victory — on 35 carries.
Not only does Major’s absence highlight the need for Brooks and Gray to remain healthy, but also shines a bigger spotlight on Bradford, who ran for 53 yards on 10 carries and had three catch
es for 13 yards and a touchdown in just five games last season with LSU.
“His versatility is extremely, extremely important for a room,” Sooners running backs coach DeMarco Murray said recently. “He does some things that the other guys can’t do.
“He’s continuing to learn. … He’s really, really good with the ball in his hands. And he has to just kind of put it all together. He’s heading in that direction. We’ve just got to continue to get him reps.”
Bradford has been impressive in camp, both Brooks and Gray said recently.
“He’s a very explosive dude,” Brooks said. “When the ball is in his hands, he does great things. He’s fast, strong. I see a bright future for him.”
Major’s absence leaves quarterback Spencer Rattler as the Sooners’ leading returning rusher from last season. Rattler had 81 carries for 160 yards and six touchdowns a year ago.
The only other returners to have a carry for OU in 2020 are wide receiver Marvin Mims (two carries, 17 yards), tight end/H-back Jeremiah Hall (one carry for no gain) and wide receiver Theo Wease (one run for a 10-yard loss).
Since December, Rhamondre Stevenson declared for the NFL Draft, T.J. Pledger transferred to Utah, and Seth McGowan and Mikey Henderson left the team after being charged in connection with an alleged robbery, decimating the depth that had been built at the position.
Brooks returns after opting out due to the COVID-19 pandemic a year ago, having topped 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons with the Sooners. For his career, Brooks has rushed for 2,067 yards and 18 touchdowns on 155 carries, while adding 20 catches for 136 yards.
Gray spent the past two seasons at Tennessee, rushing for 1,311 yards and eight touchdowns for the Volunteers before transferring in the offseason. Last season, he had 772 yards on 157 carries, plus 30 catches for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
With the depth at running back taking a hit, it’s forced Riley and Murray to be careful with how they’ve used Brooks and Gray in particular recently.
“With our numbers, we’ve tried to find that balance of getting them enough reps to be ready and then also being smart with not having just a million running backs on our roster right now,” Riley said. “They’ve handled it well.”