OC Ben Arbuckle is 'Excited' by the Growth of Oklahoma's Running Backs

NORMAN — Ben Arbuckle is excited about one of Oklahoma’s major position battles.

The Sooners need to name a starting running back at the end of fall camp, as pieces that were absent in the spring are back in the fold this month.

Junior Xavier Robinson, who missed a majority of the practices in the spring, returned to practice on Friday to battle with Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr.

Tory Blaylock was absent during Friday’s practice viewing, but new running backs coach Deland McCullough will have plenty of options to work with as OU looks to massively improve its running game in 2026.

“I think they have so much to learn and so much to improve on still,” Arbuckle said. “And I think Coach McCullough has all the expertise to give it to them and hold them to a certain standard of how we expect to play running back here at Oklahoma. Also hold them to a standard of ‘what is your best?’ and delivering your best every single day.”

The absences of Robinson and Blaylock during the spring allowed Avant, Hatton and fellow freshman DeZephen Walker to get settled into the program and take crucial snaps for the trio’s development.

“It was priceless the reps that they were able to get during spring ball,” Arbuckle said. “Selfishly, you would love for all of your guys to be out there for spring ball every single day getting those reps, but for those three guys in specific and those two young guys, priceless. The different reps, different moments that they got put in, sometimes learning by fire out there, I’d rather it happen in the spring with those guys than if we need them during the fall season.

“Excited with how they went about learning, how Coach McCullough went about teaching them, how Coach McCullough went about splitting up the reps to make sure that everybody was touching a different part of what the running back room requires.”

McCullough has a clear goal for his group.

He wants them to get at least three yards per carry after contact, which would lead to more explosive plays in the running game.

Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line and Jason Witten’s tight ends will have their role to play, too, to open up holes for the running backs, but Arbuckle believes things are trending in the right direction as the Sooners work toward their season opener on Sept. 4.

“I’m really excited about that room,” Arbuckle said. “Continue to look for them when they get the ball to run violent, run with purpose downhill and obviously be clean in pass protection, be in sync with the quarterback and offensive line in that regard, find their ways into the pass game whether it’s check downs and stuff like that. Everything that the running back room requires.

“Excited to watch that entire room continue to grow and excited with the expertise and level of detail that Coach McCullough brings to those guys.”

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