Few teams dealt with the sheer number of injuries at running back last year like Oklahoma. Five players received at least 20 carries, with no one carrying the ball more than 122 times last season.
It led to OU finishing 76th in FBS and 11th in the SEC in rushing, and the Sooners struggled to a 6-7 record.
Coach Brent Venables made a splash in the transfer portal, accordingly, adding Jaydn Ott from California-Berekely in the offseason. A former first-team All-Pac 12 selection, Ott should provide stability to a position that needs it. And Venables and new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle have some depth behind them, too, with the Sooners’ top three running backs from last season all returning.
A lot depends on the offensive line, but Oklahoma running backs should put up far superior numbers in 2025 than they did in 2024. Health pending, that is.
Here’s a look at how the position stacks up for Oklahoma heading into the fall.
Check out the rest of our 2025 Positional Previews
Quarterback
1. Jaydn Ott – Senior
If Jaydn Ott is the player he was for Cal in 2023, Oklahoma landed one of the best running backs in the country out of the transfer portal this offseason. But if the ankle injury that hampered him throughout 2024 crops back up, Ott may never get a chance to be that player. As a sophomore, he ran for more than 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Bears when they were still in the Pac-12. As a junior last year, he ran for just 38.5 yards per game on less than 12 carries per game in his 10 games. National pundits tab him to bounce back, and there was no word of the ankle bothering Ott in the spring, suggesting a big year for a team that badly needs an offensive bounce-back.
2. Jovantae Barnes – Senior
Jovantae Barnes was Oklahoma’s primary running back in 2024, as much as Oklahoma had a primary running back in 2024. Just as…
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Publish date : 2025-06-22 14:25:00
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