NORMAN — Things have changed a lot in just a couple of years for Gavin Sawchuk.

The Oklahoma running back played just 35 snaps in his freshman season, per Pro Football Focus, with 32 of those coming in the Cheez-It Bowl. Last season, Sawchuk wasn't projected as the starting running back in the preseason and didn't seize that spot until halfway through the year. Now, heading into third season, he's the running back who has the most experience and proven production in the Sooners' backfield.

Sawchuk has seen a lot in his time at Oklahoma, and it's taught him a lot.

"I think just learning the importance of team, learning the importance of having somebody that's a leader, having somebody that you can rely on, fall back on," Sawchuk said last week. "That trust factor is really important and that's something we've really been emphasizing as a team, is just how can we grow as a team? How can we mesh well together. How can our leaders bring everyone together? It's always about player led, not coach fed.

"Player-led teams are the ones that go the distance, so that's what we're emphasizing."

With that focus on leadership, Sawchuk prepares for his redshirt sophomore year as the Sooners' go-to running back.

There's no real questions about who's atop the depth chart after Sawchuk's run to end last season. He rushed for 617 yards and six touchdowns over the final five games, averaging 123.4 yards per game and nearly 7.2 yards per carry while establishing himself as one of the most productive running backs in football. Carrying those averages over a full 12-game season, Sawchuk would've finished with nearly 1,500 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.

Sawchuk entered last season as the projected No. 2 running back behind Jovantae Barnes, and spent the first several games behind Tawee Walker and Marcus Major as he recovered from nagging injuries. But he did more than enough to claim the top spot, and now the questions are mostly related to how the depth chart will shake out behind him.

But the Colorado native hasn't assumed anything in fall camp.

"We had a lot of guys leave (so I'm) just trying to take on a leadership role," Sawchuk said. "Still competing for jobs. Everybody's hungry, nothing's promised to anybody, so (I'm) out there competing, taking on the role, stepping up as a leader wherever I can, trying to be that for the team where I'm needed and just fitting in where I can."

The rest of the running back room around Sawchuk is still one to monitor as the Sooners prepare for their season opener against Temple on Aug. 30. Jovantae Barnes is fully healthy after a tough season in 2023 and has the most experience at Oklahoma outside of Sawchuk, while underclassmen Kalib Hicks and Taylor Tatum have had impressive moments. Sam Franklin and Emeka Megwa also give the Sooners veteran options.

But leading the group has been Sawchuk.

"Gavin gets better and better every day," Barnes said. "His story is pretty crazy, just like mine. Gavin came in here and he's working. He's real quiet and gets out of his comfort zone sometimes to lead. He's been doing a good job of just going in and taking over. He does a good job of going in there and taking over and leading the group."

In addition to being the No. 1 guy, Sawchuk has also stayed fully healthy since the end of last season. That's been a change for Sawchuk, who dealt with injuries over the course of his first two seasons. That health has allowed Sawchuk to focus more on adding weight.

"(I've been focusing on) getting a little bit bigger, putting on a little bit of weight," Sawchuk said. "Continuing to be explosive, continuing to be fast, making guys miss in the open field. And that's just stuff that I'm continuing to work on. Camp's a great opportunity. You can really only work on those things when you're out there on the football field going against other guys. So just having those opportunities, those team sessions, those one on ones, whatever it may be, the opportunities to be able to use those skill sets to be able to make things happen, that's what I'm trying to do."

Sawchuk seized his opportunity to be the Sooners' starting running back. And after several standout games to end last season, there's a lot of signs pointing to this being his full breakout year.

"It's really one of my first camps fully healthy, fully back out there, so it's been great," Sawchuk said. "The team's been getting together well, getting that chemistry right. It's feeling great."

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