NORMAN — There’s a lot of words to describe Jovantae Barnes. But there’s probably one word that describes him best.

Ready.

With his second fall season as a Sooner underway, the sophomore running back is feeling a lot more confident than he did last year.

“I just feel like I’m more hungry and I’m more energized, and I’m more ready,” Barnes said. “I feel like I’m more locked-in and focused. I know I said this last time when I talked to you guys, but this is the honest truth; I feel like I’m locked in, and I’m more excited, definitely with the hold back from my injury,

“I feel like just coming back from that, I knew I was going to knock it off. I was working my butt off, and right now I’m just taking it step by step, practice by practice. I’m just excited to be back and just be out here with my boys. It’s fall camp; it’s work, but I’m getting through it.”

There’s a lot of reasons Barnes feels more excited this season. A big one? He’s feeling a lot more healthy.

Barnes dealt with a foot injury for much of last season. That injury began when he was in high school, and it even kept him out for much of the spring. But now, that’s largely a problem of the past.

“When I got here, me and (OU running backs coach DeMarco Murray) had a talk, and I was like, ‘Shoot, I’m trying to play my freshman year, so whatever it takes, I’m going to get on the field.’ So I was kind of ignoring it, and then we had a talk, he said as soon as the bowl game is over, we’re going to get it (taken care of). That’s exactly what we did, and I feel great. That’s pretty much how it went.”

Another key reason is his experience on the field last season. Barnes emerged as the No. 2 running back midway through the year, finishing with 519 yards and five touchdowns on 116 carries.

It was a solid freshman campaign, but Barnes believes it wasn’t indicative of his potential.

“Some people say I did OK my freshman year, but I’ll say that wasn’t really me,” Barnes said. “I was kind of getting just a feel for college and kind of just getting my feet wet. I feel like last year was kind of a rough side and just trying to get to know who I’m reading or who I’m supposed to cut off of. Just different stuff like that, getting to the next level.

“Now I feel like I’m more comfortable with that and now I know more.”

It’s a good thing for Barnes that he feels more confident, because he has a huge opportunity in 2023. With Eric Gray in the NFL, Barnes has a chance to overtake the starting running back spot. He assumed that role in last year’s Cheez-It Bowl and turned in a good performance, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.

Murray is looking for Barnes to take that next step in fall camp.

“It (was) a huge offseason for Jovantae,” Murray said during media day. “Physically, he looks good. Again, can he withstand a 12 or 13-game season? Last season, obviously he did some really amazing things for us. But that was last year. He knows every single day he has to put in the work just like the other guys to get that opportunity to get on the field and be one of the guys. Excited about him and excited where he’s at right now, but we’ve got a lot of depth now.”

With the season just a few weeks away, Barnes is ready to make a bigger impact.

“I just feel more comfortable on the field and just feel like I’m having more fun because I know everything,” Barnes said. “I don’t have to worry about who’s coming or who’s pulling or anything like that; I know it already. I just feel more comfortable on the field.”