Position Preview: Running Backs

NORMAN — Oklahoma led the Big 12 and registered its best season on the ground under head coach Bob Stoops by averaging 261.2 yards per game in 2014. The good news for Sooner fans is that the 2015 OU squad returns a loaded backfield.

The player leading that talent-laden position is 2014 freshman All-American Samaje Perine. The Pflugerville, Texas, native ranked eighth nationally last season by averaging 131.8 yards per game, and totaled a league-leading 1,713 yards on the ground, the second most by a freshman in OU history.

perine texas

Samaje Perine led OU with 1,713 rushing yards, the second most by a freshman in Oklahoma history.

"The way he performed was truly special," said Stoops, who is starting his 17th season with the Sooners. "I believe there is so much more for him. He is an amazing person in the way he works and his humble attitude. He is always hungry."

TOBY'S TAKE

rowland It will be fascinating to see how Samaje Perine is used in the passing game in Lincoln Riley's new offense. Perine caught 15 passes a year ago, a number that will likely double or triple in 2015. I don't have any doubt that Riley will still feed Samaje in the power running game aplenty. The ability to punch a team in the gut up the middle with success is what frees up the perimeter for Sterling Shepard and Dede Westbrook and friends to make big plays downfield. But, I am excited about the idea of Perine catching more balls and taking on defensive backs on the edges. He runs over linebackers, and the thought of Perine versus a cornerback is enough to put a smile on any Sooner fan's face.

Joe Mixon's versatility is enticing, but where exactly he fits remains a mystery. Is he the "lightning" to Perine's "thunder?" Is he a change-of-pace back? Is he a threat in the passing game? Alex Ross is the forgotten guy in the backfield. Ross actually averaged more yards per carry in 2014 (6.8) than did Perine (6.5). And the wildcard is true freshman Rodney Anderson. Remember, no one was talking about a true freshman named Perine a year ago this time. Could Anderson be the 2015 breakout star?

Listen to OU play-by-play announcer Toby Rowland weekday mornings from 6-9 a.m. on the "T-Row in the Morning Show" on KREF 98.5 FM and 1400 AM.

The highlight of his sensational freshman campaign came in OU's penultimate home game against Kansas on Nov. 22. Perine rushed for 222 yards in the first half, and then set fans' sights squarely on the single-game rushing record when he opened the third quarter with a 66-yard touchdown scamper. Those fans would not be disappointed. Early in the fourth quarter he gashed the Kansas defense for a 42-yard run to break the record. Perine finished the game with 427 yards on 34 carries, besting the mark of 408 yards that Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon had set just a week earlier.

His physicality has his teammates' full attention.

"I'm blocking sometimes and I look back like, 'He's about to run this guy over,'" wide receiver Sterling Shepard said. "I love to watch him work. I have to stay on my blocks."

Added senior linebacker Eric Striker, "I'm just going to keep it 100 with you. (If) me and Samaje meet with a full head of steam, I probably end up on my back. He is another type of being."

Perine's unique combination of speed and strength, along with his ability to break tackles, make him one of the best backs in college football. The country has taken notice. Perine has been named to national watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award and the Walter Camp Trophy.

Fellow returning starter Alex Ross showed plenty of explosiveness in 2014, as well. The redshirt junior from Jenks, Okla., averaged 6.8 yards per carry and finished second behind Perine with 595 yards on the ground. Ross also uses his exceptional speed as a kick returner. Ross was named a second team All-American by CBS Sports and The Sporting News and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in that role last season. Ross averaged 31.7 yards per return in 2014, the third most among FBS players, and ranked second nationally with two kick return touchdowns.

Also in the mix for 2015 are redshirt junior Daniel Brooks, redshirt freshman Joe Mixon and true freshman Rodney Anderson. Brooks played in all 13 games last season, primarily on special teams, and has led the Sooners in rushing in each of the last two spring games. Brooks went for 67 yards on just eight carries in 2014 and posted an impressive 21-for-154 line in this year's game.

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Rodney Anderson is a true freshman who was rated the No. 2 high school running back in the nation by 247Sports in 2014.

Mixon was forced to sit out the 2014 season, but was one of the most highly sought after recruits in his class. Hailing from Oakley, Calif., Mixon was rated a five-star recruit by Rivals.com and was listed as the nation's No. 1 running back by both Rivals.com and 247Sports.com. As a senior at Freedom High School, Mixon rushed for 1,704 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown in the Army All-American game.

Anderson is a consensus four-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout. The Katy, Texas, native was rated as the No. 2 running back in the country by 247Sports and the No. 11 player from the state of Texas by Rivals. Anderson rushed for a total of 2,485 yards as a senior, adding 36 touchdowns on 251 total carries. He totaled 5,493 yards on the ground during his high school career while averaging 9.1 yards per carry.

Players Mentioned

Rodney Anderson

Daniel Brooks

Joe Mixon

Samaje Perine

Alex Ross

Sterling Shepard

Eric Striker

Dede Westbrook

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics