Brent Venables discusses importance of getting running backs in rhythm

Oklahoma still appears to be figuring out its running backs rotation four games into the season. The Sooners have had a different leading rusher in each of the past three weeks and carries have been split evenly among Tawee Walker, Marcus Major and Jovantae Barnes.

Last week against Cincinnati, Barnes didn’t play as the OU ground attack barely mustered over 100 yards on just 3.0 yards per carry. Coach Brent Venables stressed the importance of getting those players in rhythm at his Tuesday press conference, and how he’s managing that room with so many options.

“”I think it’s hard to play four running backs in the course of a game,” the coach said. “Some of it, we run an RPO-based offense. So you have several runs that the numbers might’ve been there. The precision might’ve been there but we pulled it out because maybe the numbers were good outside as well. You want to be efficient. We need to be a little more detailed.

“It doesn’t take but just one guy not doing his job or not being as detailed as we need to be. Everything can go to heck quickly. Cincinnati was a really good front. They did some really good things schematically and it’s a really good, physical group of guys. But we’ve gotta be a little bit more precise and detailed.”

Oklahoma put up a combined 409 yards rushing in the first two weeks of play but has just 222 in the past two games. Other than Walker in Week 2 against SMU, the Sooners have not had a player rush for more than 100 yards in a game.

Last week, however, saw OU cut down its rotation a bit as not only did Barnes not play, but Gavin Sawchuck was absent as well. Barnes had 122 yards and a touchdown through the first three weeks, so it was strange not to see him get any touches.

Venables didn’t offer much of an explanation as to why neither Barnes nor Sawchuk played, simply saying it was the “week of practice.” He also didn’t offer an update on whether there will be changes come Saturday against Iowa State, saying that will also be determined through this week’s practice.

“(Running backs coach) DeMarco (Murray) does a really great job of evaluating those guys through the course of the week and who’s practicing the best,” Venables said. “So that’s how we make a lot of those decisions.”

Regardless of what the rotation looks like, the Oklahoma running backs will hope to bounce back this week and improve to 5-0. They will face a tough test against a Cyclones defense that ranks 48th in the country in rushing yards allowed per game (115.3).

Kickoff between the Sooners and Iowa State is set for 6 p.m. CT on Saturday in Norman.