Jovantae Barnes injury update: Brent Venables addresses potential redshirt vs. return

As the regular season comes to a close, there are some questions surrounding the status of Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes. Barnes has not played since Sept. 20 against Auburn, missing more than two months due to an undisclosed injury.

Because Barnes has played in only four games this season, he would be eligible to take a redshirt and maintain a year of eligibility if he sits out the rest of the year. Sooners coach Brent Venables spoke on the matter Tuesday, saying the RB is still “in good standing” with the team, but the possibility of a redshirt is on the table.

“I think every case is a case of its own based on who that person has been and the body of work,” he said. “So try to navigate that appropriately just like you would discipline in the moment or big discipline issues. We have a set of rules but again, how you treat everybody based on — maybe if it’s a young guy, you give them a little more grace. An older guy, ‘Hey, man, you should know better.’ Things like that. The way you’re dealing with it is based on, again, who they’ve been since they’ve been here.”

Barnes is in his fourth season with the Sooners and began the year as the starting running back. However, with Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock having emerged as key pieces in the rushing attack, there might not be enough reps for him to warrant coming back for just a few games and giving up that final season of eligibility.

Oklahoma finds itself right in the thick of the College Football Playoff race at No. 8 in the latest rankings. If they beat LSU this weekend, the Sooners’ spot is all but secured.

OU could surely use the depth that Jovantae Barnes would provide if it were to go on a playoff run. However, with the current landscape of college sports, Venables understands the running back must also consider what is best for himself.

“At the end of the day, we have a different enviroment that’s not the players’ fault,” he said. “They have lots of different options now. I look at it with that lense as well. You can’t blame guys for wanting a little more of this or that. They’re looking out for their futures. I don’t think it’s necessarily a selfish trait, but we’ve created an environment that has some selfishness to it.

“My job is to make sure that things are not a distraction and people are contributing and working and showing up with a diligent mindset and work ethic and things of that nature. As long as those things are good, I’m capice.”