University of Oklahoma Athletics

Trey Sermon

2019 Position Preview: Running Backs

August 17, 2019 | Football

Oklahoma's record-setting 2018 offense produced not one, but two 1,000-yard rushers, plus a third who ran for over 900 yards. That ground attack helped the Sooners set an FBS single-season record for yards per play (8.60) and helped OU become the first team since at least 1994 to finish in the top two nationally in both yards per pass attempt (11.3) and yards per rush (6.6). 

Among running backs, the Sooners return the vast majority of their production from 2018 that helped the team lead the Big 12 in rushing yards per game (247.4; next highest average was 190.3). Kennedy Brooks (1,056 rushing yards, 12 TDs), Trey Sermon (947 yards, 13 TDs) and T.J. Pledger (179 yards) were OU's top three rushers not named Kyler Murray last season and are all back in 2019. Junior college standout Rhamondre Stevenson and freshman Marcus Major join the trio of returners. 

"Everybody in that room has improved dramatically," said RB coach Jay Boulware this week. "I'm really pleased with where they are right now. The two newcomers are obviously still a work in progress, in terms of how we do things and how we have to take care of the football. We try to preach to them, at that position, we've had one fumble each year the last three years. That's really what we're harping on, along with pass protection and all."

Lettermen Returning

T.J. Pledger 
T.J. Pledger

  • Trey Sermon (Jr.) – A 2018 honorable mention All-Big 12 pick who started final 12 contests and led team with 13 touchdowns (all rushing) while ranking third with 947 rushing yards ... has 1,691 career rushing yards and 18 rushing TDs.

  • Kennedy Brooks (R-So.) – A USA Today Freshman All-American and Pro Football Focus Second-Team All-American after leading OU with 1,056 rushing yards in 2018 ... ranked third nationally with 8.9 yards per rush (min. 9.0 carries per game) and fifth in Big 12 with 88.0 rushing yards per game ... finished with 12 rushing TDs.

  • T.J. Pledger (So.) – Played in 11 games last season and rushed for 179 yards on 30 carries (6.0 average) while catching one pass for 12 yards ... a consensus four-star recruit out of high school (ranked No. 70 overall by Rivals).

Sermon Says

"We all push each other. We all compete. I try to help out the other guys as much as I can, as far as just breaking stuff down for them. I feel like they're progressing very well."

Non-Lettermen Returning

  • Michael Anderson (R-Fr.) – Redshirt freshman out of Keller (Texas) High School.

  • Isaiah Harris (R-Fr.) – Redshirt freshman from Tulsa, Okla. ... Played running back and linebacker at McLain High School. 

Newcomers

Rhamondre Stevenson 
Rhamondre Stevenson

  • Rhamondre Stevenson (Jr.) – Four-star junior college prospect by 247Sports and three-star by Rivals ... ranked as No. 12 overall JUCO recruit by ESPN and No. 15 by 247Sports ... regarded as country's No. 1 JUCO running back by 247Sports ... rushed for over 2,000 yards and 16 TDs on 222 carries in 2018 at Cerritos (Calif.) College.

  • Todd Hudson (Fr.) – Three-star recruit by 247Sports and two-star prospect by Rivals ... selected as the MVP on the District 24-6A team of Texas ... rushed for over 4,000 yards and 49 touchdowns in his high school career.

  • Marcus Major (Fr.) – Four-star recruit by ESPN and Rivals ... three-star prospect by 247Sports ... nation's No. 248 overall recruit by ESPN and No. 442 by 247Sports ... ranked the No. 16 running back in the country by Rivals and No. 17 by ESPN ... compiled over 2,000 yards and 35 rushing TDs in his high school career.

Notes

  • Oklahoma eclipsed the 300-yard rushing mark in six of its 14 games in 2018, and went for over 200 yards in another two. The Sooners were held under 150 yards rushing only once last season.

  • OU produced two 1,000-yard rushers last season (Brooks, Murray), with the third-leading rusher (Sermon) gaining over 900 yards. 

  • Brooks and Sermon combined to score 25 of the team's 42 rushing touchdowns in 2018. Additionally, each back rushed for multiple touchdowns in a combined seven games. Brooks accomplished the feat four times and Sermon three.

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Players Mentioned

Kennedy Brooks

RB
/ Football

Isaiah Harris

RB
/ Football

Todd Hudson

RB
/ Football

Marcus Major

RB
/ Football

Kyler Murray

QB
/ Football

T.J. Pledger

RB
/ Football

Trey Sermon

RB
/ Football

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