OU 2023 season review: Running backs

In terms of overall efficiency, it was a progressive season for Oklahoma running backs. To begin the year, the running game was a real concern, but as the season progressed it became something of a strength for the team.

The emergence of Gavin Sawchuk, which took longer than many had hoped, eventually gave the Sooners true offensive balance to end the season, which was pivotal for them down the final stretch of the schedule.

OU finished 34th nationally with 182.2 rushing yards per game and 4.55 yards per carry as a team. They also co-led for the Big 12 lead in rushing scores, with 32 on the season.

In this version of the OU season review, let's take a look at how the running backs fared in 2023:

(Note: All snap-count data and performances grades are provided by Pro Football Focus. PFF assigns both game and season-long grades for individual players on a 0-100 scale; 90-99 is considered elite, 80-89 good, 70-79 above average, 60-69 average, 50-59 below average, 0-49 poor).

Gavin Sawchuk — 120 carries, 744 yards, 9 touchdowns, 6.2 yards per carry

Tawee Walker — 102 carries, 513 yards, 7 touchdowns, 5.0 yards per carry

Marcus Major — 78 carries, 308 yards, 1 touchdown, 3.9 yards per carry

Jovantae Barnes — 37 carries, 156 yards, 1 touchdown, 3.8 yards per carry

Daylan Smothers — 11 carries, 42 yards, 0 touchdowns, 3.8 yards per carry

Kalib Hicks — 3 carries, 14 yards, 1 touchdown, 4.7 yards per carry

Emeka Megwa — 1 carry, 6 yards, 0 touchdowns, 6.0 yards per carry

(Note: This list does not include players who saw fewer than 30 snaps)

Gavin Sawchuk — 362 snaps (72.8 grade)

Tawee Walker — 285 snaps (82.8)

Marcus Major — 215 snaps (75.5)

Jovantae Barnes — 94 snaps (66.2)

Daylan Smothers — 33 snaps (64.4)

After his breakout performance in the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State, the expectations in and around Norman were sky-high for the redshirt freshman out of Colorado. However, an issue with his hamstring throughout fall camp kept the talented youngster from finding his footing in the first half of the season.

Getting back into game shape proved to be a chore for Sawchuk, as his explosiveness and ability to force missed tackles just wasn't there before the Sooners' bye week. His absence from the backfield severely hamstrung the OU rushing attack, forcing Dillon Gabriel and walk-on Tawee Walker to lead the way.

However, when No. 27 found his stride over the last five games, he never lost it. There wasn't a better running back in the Big 12 than Sawchuk over that span of time, as he went over the 100-yard mark in every game and scored six rushing touchdowns in that stretch. In fact, Sawchuk averaged 7.2 yards per carry over the last five games, going for 617 yards on 86 carries. Heading into the 2024 season, Sawchuk is the unquestioned leader of the OU backfield, and that's quite an improvement from what we saw from him early on in the year.

SEASON GRADE: A

There may not have been a more pleasant surprise on the roster this season than what Oklahoma got out of Tawee Walker in the running game. A physical, plodding runner, Walker brought a physicality to the OU backfield that we haven't seen since Samaje Perine was taking carries on Owen Field.

As Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes failed to live up to expectations early in the season, Walker exceeded them and served as the Sooners' primary rushing threat through the first half of the season.

He topped 100 yards twice on the year, against SMU with a 117-yard performance on 21 carries, and a valiant 146-yard performance against Kansas in Lawrence. While he might not have been the most explosive running back in the Sooners' backfield, he was the most consistent early on in the season. His steadiness allowed Oklahoma's running game to get going later in the year, and for that, he deserves a ton of credit. Next season, it should be interesting to see if he finds a rhythm playing for Wisconsin.

SEASON GRADE: A-

As was the case over the course of his time with Oklahoma, Marcus Major just couldn't stay healthy enough for his immense talent to be realized in 2023. While he showed some flashes of brilliance early in the season, particularly on a game-sealing receiving touchdown against SMU in Week 2, Major's inability to stay on the field saw his production waver from game to game.

Major was shut down for the season after the UCF game, as a shoulder injury kept him from being effective as a ball carrier for long stretches of games. He still had some explosive runs over the course of the season, with longs of 17, 19, and 18 over three different games, but the story is as it has been so often in the past, injuries just kept him off the field.

SEASON GRADE: C

After bursting onto the scene as an explosive and physical runner as a true freshman in 2022, Jovantae Barnes was supposed to be running back No. 1 for the Sooners in 2023.

That never came to pass though, as Barnes logged just 37 carries on the season, and just nine carries in conference play. After having surgery on his foot over the offseason, Barnes struggled to get going in fall camp and eventually just lost the explosiveness that made him such an intriguing back last season.

Now, heading into his third season in Norman, Barnes has something to prove and a crowded backfield to compete against. The talent is there, and the production has been there before. Many hoped that Barnes would take a step forward in 2023, but instead, he took two steps back and feels like he's lightyears behind Sawchuk at this point.

Perhaps 2024 will be the year that he gets back on track, but that would be considered a pleasant surprise at this point, given the names around him.

SEASON GRADE: D

The emergence of Tawee Walker as a heavy contributor helped level out what was an incredibly disappointing start to the season for Demarco Murray's group, but if it weren't for the arrival of Gavin Sawchuk in the back half of the season, it might've been hard to give this group as passing grade.

Marcus Major's injury problems persisted for yet another season, leaving him as an afterthought midway through the year, and Jovantae Barnes never got going after he was being touted as a potential All-Big 12 level running back in the preseason.

However, the Sooners' running back room found its stride and exploded on the back of No. 27, as a consistent and explosive rushing attack found its way into Norman over the last five games, giving the Oklahoma offense an added gear that it lacked at times early in the season.

There's no doubt that the Sooners will need someone else to emerge in the room heading into the 2024 season, as Walker is headed to Wisconsin and Sawchuk will need someone to spell him against SEC defenses. With the nation's top high school running back, Taylor Tatum, and UT Martin transfer Samuel Franklin both being added to the mix, plus Jovantae Barnes and Kalib Hicks coming back, there's talent in the room. Now, it's all about someone else taking their opportunity and running with it.

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