Oklahoma RB Eric Gray 'Does Everything Right'

There’s a misperception among those that follow Oklahoma football that Kennedy Brooks is sort of taking newcomer Eric Gray under his wing and showing him the ropes, so to speak.

Makes sense. Brooks is a two-year starter for the Sooners at running back. Gray is a transfer from Tennessee.

But that’s not really what's happening.

“He taught me some things,” Brooks said Wednesday in a video press conference.

Gray is a versatile running back, a multi-tool weapon who can slice up defenses with handoffs or with pass receptions. In Lincoln Riley’s offense, Gray’s ability to execute the pass game smoothly and also to elude defenders makes him something of a matchup problem for defenses.

“He’s definitely taught me a lot about the receiving game, about making people miss,” Brooks said.

At this stage of the 2021 college football preseason, the Sooners have practiced only a handful of times. Gray, who transferred last semester and went through a full spring practice, should still be behind Brooks on the depth chart, even though Brooks opted out of 2020.

But Gray did everything he could make sure he wasn’t behind.

“I’ve always bene a guy that could remember things easily,” Gray said. “Even when I was taking a test, I could study really quick — flash cards — that’s kind of what I did. I would go home; ‘We’re running this play, what do you do? This play, what’s the pass protection?' I had a board at home and I used to draw on a board.

“I just didn’t want to be in the back. Everyone else was already in the system, I wanted to catch up fast and hit the ground running.”

Brooks admires Gray’s dynamic skill set. But there’s something else Brooks likes about his new backfield mate.

“He’s a great competitor. He goes out there and gives it his all,” Brooks said. “ … From my perspective, he has helped me in taking every play and making it just that one play and nothing more.”

Gray has come so far so fast, he’s even playing the role of mentor himself to LSU transfer Tre Bradford. Gray got to OU in January, Bradford showed up officially in mid-June.

“I have kind of been in charge of Tre,” Gray said. “He’s been in my workout group, kind of getting him acclimated to the system, the schemes, the protections, different things like that.”

That’s actually another strength Gray comes equipped with: character, leadership and maturity.

“I can't say enough about the kid, walking in here Day 1, he's a true professional,” Riley said in July. “I told somebody earlier, it feels like he's been in our program for months or years already. It literally felt like that the day he walked in the door. Just a very businesslike attitude. He honestly exceeded everything that we put in front of him. He learned the offense quickly. He really got acclimated with his teammates and university quickly. He does everything right. You can see why the guy has had some success early on in his career, and you combine that with some good experience, and we're thrilled to have him.”

Said Gray, “That’s great for him to say that. That means hard work paid off. I’ve come in and done it the right way. I’ve came in and worked hard and kind of tried to earn my stripes a little bit on a new team, new program, just tried to fit in and work hard. It’s big for the head coach to say that.”

And Riley’s not the only one saying it.

“He does everything right,” Brooks echoed. “He’s a good person.”

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