Could Oklahoma RB Tory Blaylock Give the Sooners’ Run Game a Spark?

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s run game is at the point where it must try just about anything to get a rhythm going.

The Sooners are averaging only 99 rushing yards per game, which ranks 15th in the SEC. They’re also averaging just 2.9 yards per carry, which has forced the Sooners to rely on quarterback John Mateer more often than they’d likely prefer.

Lloyd Avant has been OU’s most efficient and most used tailback through four weeks with 164 yards and a touchdown on 42 carries. While he hasn’t played poorly, his numbers also aren’t flashy, and the Sooners still need others to contribute.

Someone who could see a greater role after the current bye week is sophomore Tory Blaylock.

Blaylock was a true freshman in 2025 and led OU with 480 rushing yards and four touchdowns. The running back from Humble, Texas, surpassed 100 yards in the Sooners’ wins against Temple and South Carolina last year.

Blaylock missed most of spring ball with an injury before suffering a new hamstring injury in the first week of fall camp. He sat out of OU’s season opener against UTEP before making his 2026 debut against Michigan.

Oklahoma’s staff has been cautious with Blaylock so far, as he logged only one carry against the Wolverines and four the next week against New Mexico.

Blaylock, though, showed flashes of his old self against Georgia. He was OU’s most efficient back who logged multiple carries, averaging 3.3 yards per rush. He nearly scored a touchdown in the second quarter but was stopped just short of the goal line.

Blaylock’s low usage so far in 2026 is likely an effort to ensure that he recovers properly. But now that he’s on the right end of his healing process, he may be primed for a larger role.

Though he wasn’t a star in Year 1, Blaylock showed off his track-star speed on several occasions. The 5-foot-11, 212-pound tailback ran a sub 10.5-second 100-meter dash in high school, and his quickness was on full display when he broke off long runs against Temple, South Carolina and LSU in 2025.

Avant struggled against Georgia and finished with only 23 yards on 10 carries. His slow performance doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t be the lead back anymore, but it’s clear that he can’t be the only reliable ball carrier as the Sooners dive into the heart of SEC play.

Oklahoma badly needs someone new to emerge from the backfield. And considering that Blaylock is now healthy — and someone with proven production — he could potentially give the Sooners a boost on the ground.

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