Coming into the 2023 season, the Oklahoma running back room was widely considered arguably the deepest position group on the team.

With Jovantae Barnes, Gavin Sawchuk, Marcus Major, and Tawee Walker all back from last season, and an exciting infusion of new guys, it appeared that OU's ability to run the football would be a strength of this team like it was last season with Eric Gray.

However, through three games, the Sooners are one of the least explosive running teams in the nation and are averaging just 4.3 yards per carry, which ranks a pretty significant drop from 4.9 yards per carry last season, and a full yard short of their 5.3 yards per carry in 2021.

While the offensive line has been good in pass protection, allowing just one sack through three games, they didn't create many running lanes against non-conference opponents. Furthermore, both Barnes and Sawchuk have been slowly working into the game plan as they recover from injuries during the offseason.

Now, the Sooners will face their biggest test to date as they head to Cincinnati for an 11:00 a.m. tilt at Nippert Stadium, the site of this week's FOX Big Noon Kickoff. Despite a rather slow start from the running game to this point, Sawchuk says that he's excited to see what OU's got against the Bearcats.

"They’ve got a great defense in general, not just the defensive line, but everybody in general," Sawchuk said. "I mean, all games are won at the line of scrimmage. Those guys are the most important on the field, blocking and creating plays for everybody else. So I’m excited for it. It’s gonna be a great game. They’re a great challenge, a great team. Excited to go up there and be in their hometown and really be able to be in that environment. Excited to see what our team’s got.”

In his first real action of the season, Sawchuk saw nine carries against Tulsa last weekend, which he turned into 25 yards and one score. He lacked the same kind of burst that Sooner fans saw in the Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State in December, but he says it felt good just to be on the field again.

"It was a lot of fun," Sawchuk said of Week 3. "I’d been dealing with some hamstring issues, but great to be back, be back with the team, celebrating with the team. It was a great team win. So much fun to be out there with all the guys and really just celebrate all the work we put in, not just through the season, but over the summer and all that. So just a lot of fun.”

Now at 100%, the redshirt freshman is just ready to use the game reps that he got last week and progress in a big way going forward.

“[It's a] big confidence thing of course being able to get back out there," Sawchuk said of getting back in the saddle last week. "Just, you know, the feel of it. It’s different taking the game reps than it is at practice, As much as you try and simulate it, it’s just different being there in the game. So just being able to be in that environment is probably the best practice you can have, really.”

Given what the Sooners have shown so far in 2023, Saturday's game feels like a pivotal one, as folks are starting to ask if this team is for real. After all, Oklahoma was 1-3 in true road games in Big 12 play last season.

While they have been dominant as a team, Sawchuk and the rest of the guys in Demarco Murray's room are just focused on getting better every day.

“Tawee [Walker], Marcus [Major], and Jovantae [Barnes]— they’ve all been doing great. We’ve just got to continue to work, continue to get better. Little areas of the game, our footwork, pass protection, making people miss in open space — all these things, just becoming a complete back. So for everybody, it’s been a challenge to continue to come out here on the practice field and motivate and push each other to be better in that sense.”