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Fall camp is underway in Norman, and the Oklahoma Sooners are less than a month away from kicking off the 2026 regular season. After a 10-win year in 2025 that resulted in a trip to the College Football Playoff, the focus has been on going from good to great for head coach Brent Venables' team.
With the offseason beginning to draw to a close, it's time to take a look at each position on OU's roster to see where things stand heading into the season. After players from last year's team left via the transfer portal or exhausted eligibility and the Sooners replenished the roster via the portal and high school recruiting, there are plenty of new faces looking to make an impact and returning names looking to take a step forward.
Today, we'll dive into the running back position, coached by running backs coach Deland McCullough. This room is as wide-open as any on the team, with a coach who is new to the Sooners leading the way.
Robinson and Blaylock return after they were OU's top two leading rushers a season ago. However, both were injured in spring ball (and Blaylock has been banged up early in fall camp). This means that a trio of other backs has seen a lot of action this offseason.
Avant is a transfer from Colorado State, and he has earned rave reviews from McCullough to open fall camp. He's a versatile player who could help the Sooners in a lot of ways, and McCullough loves his attention to detail. Hatton and Walker are both true freshmen, and they've been impressive since arriving on campus. Hatton, in particular, has really looked the part, and some anticipate that he could become a key cog in the backfield, even as a freshman.
All of those options mean that OU's main pieces at running back may come down to who is healthy, and who McCullough feels he can trust the most. Avant could be the leader in the clubhouse to start Week 1, but Sooner fans know what Robinson is capable of. Hatton's potential could be too much to ignore, but Walker has also been an important member of the 2026 recruiting class. Of course, you can't forget about Blaylock, who has proven to Oklahoma that he is a worthy starter when he's fully healthy.
Whether the Sooners adopt a bellcow approach or a running back-by-committee approach, the main focus will be on running the football better in 2026 than they did in 2025. Oklahoma's offense was hindered by an inability to move the ball on the ground last year, which is a problem when you play the style of football that the Sooners want to play. Down the stretch last season, OU found an identity centered around playing strong defense, forcing turnovers, winning the special teams battle, and playing field position. To really excel playing that way, OU has to be able to run the ball late in games to drain the clock and prevent a comeback.
If the Sooners can run the ball well, it can open up so many other things for the offense. Both Venables and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle have stressed the importance of establishing the run this offseason, and it's simply something they've made a non-negotiable in Norman in 2026.
Whether it's the returning duo of Robinson and Blaylock taking a step forward together, or the newcomer trio of Avant, Hatton, and Walker injecting new life into the position, or some combination of both, the Sooners will be watching the RB group very closely this season. With Week 1 now less than a month away, the depth chart is still a bit murky, but perhaps the best thing for Oklahoma is that this room grows and changes as the season progresses.
ontact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma 2026 Positional Previews: Who leads the way at Running Back?
Continue reading...
With the offseason beginning to draw to a close, it's time to take a look at each position on OU's roster to see where things stand heading into the season. After players from last year's team left via the transfer portal or exhausted eligibility and the Sooners replenished the roster via the portal and high school recruiting, there are plenty of new faces looking to make an impact and returning names looking to take a step forward.
Today, we'll dive into the running back position, coached by running backs coach Deland McCullough. This room is as wide-open as any on the team, with a coach who is new to the Sooners leading the way.
The Players
- Ben McCreary: 5th-year
- Lloyd Avant: Junior
- Xavier Robinson: Junior
- Andy Bass: Junior
- Gabe Sawchuk: Junior
- Tory Blaylock: Sophomore
- Jonathan Hatton Jr.: Freshman
- DeZephen Walker: Freshman
Robinson and Blaylock return after they were OU's top two leading rushers a season ago. However, both were injured in spring ball (and Blaylock has been banged up early in fall camp). This means that a trio of other backs has seen a lot of action this offseason.
Avant is a transfer from Colorado State, and he has earned rave reviews from McCullough to open fall camp. He's a versatile player who could help the Sooners in a lot of ways, and McCullough loves his attention to detail. Hatton and Walker are both true freshmen, and they've been impressive since arriving on campus. Hatton, in particular, has really looked the part, and some anticipate that he could become a key cog in the backfield, even as a freshman.
All of those options mean that OU's main pieces at running back may come down to who is healthy, and who McCullough feels he can trust the most. Avant could be the leader in the clubhouse to start Week 1, but Sooner fans know what Robinson is capable of. Hatton's potential could be too much to ignore, but Walker has also been an important member of the 2026 recruiting class. Of course, you can't forget about Blaylock, who has proven to Oklahoma that he is a worthy starter when he's fully healthy.
Whether the Sooners adopt a bellcow approach or a running back-by-committee approach, the main focus will be on running the football better in 2026 than they did in 2025. Oklahoma's offense was hindered by an inability to move the ball on the ground last year, which is a problem when you play the style of football that the Sooners want to play. Down the stretch last season, OU found an identity centered around playing strong defense, forcing turnovers, winning the special teams battle, and playing field position. To really excel playing that way, OU has to be able to run the ball late in games to drain the clock and prevent a comeback.
If the Sooners can run the ball well, it can open up so many other things for the offense. Both Venables and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle have stressed the importance of establishing the run this offseason, and it's simply something they've made a non-negotiable in Norman in 2026.
Whether it's the returning duo of Robinson and Blaylock taking a step forward together, or the newcomer trio of Avant, Hatton, and Walker injecting new life into the position, or some combination of both, the Sooners will be watching the RB group very closely this season. With Week 1 now less than a month away, the depth chart is still a bit murky, but perhaps the best thing for Oklahoma is that this room grows and changes as the season progresses.
ontact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma 2026 Positional Previews: Who leads the way at Running Back?
Continue reading...
