Oklahoma's Jonathan Hatton Jr. Putting Together a 'Reliable' Fall Camp

NORMAN — How much can be read into the preseason hype videos produced by the University of Oklahoma’s social media team?

That answer is up to the viewer. But the clips can occasionally offer clues about newcomers’ early standing within the roster. If there's a freshman or new transfer who is only seen with the backups, chances are that's where they stand.

As of Aug. 25, Oklahoma's official X account (@OU_Football) has posted just under 10 videos showing what looks to be scrimmage highlights. In the clip posted on Aug. 16 of John Mateer, Jonathan Hatton Jr. appears in frame picking up a blitzing defender.

There's nothing flashy about Hatton's role in the play. The focus of the clip isn't even on him. But that lone highlight could be a pivotal clue that the young phenom is picking up the little things that freshman running backs often trip over.

"As a freshman coming in, the protections are the hardest part," Mateer said of Hatton on Friday. "He puts his head down, works."

OU fans who have a few decades under their belt can recall a handful of young, talented backs who rarely saw the field due to being poor pass blockers. Getting your quarterback killed because you miss a blocking assignment is a one-way ticket to the bench under any coaching regime.

Hatton still has much to prove. He looks the part, but can he play the part? He needs to prove to have good ball security, an ability to break tackles and good field vision. But the other side of the coin is the minefield that new running backs often have trouble navigating — defensive fronts and protections.

But Mateer’s assessment suggests Hatton has made early progress in an area that can determine whether a young running back sees the field at all.

"He's pretty good. He's pretty big, pretty fast. But there's like a whole other world of what he is. But he's another great human. And I keep saying it, but I wouldn't lie about it. All the fronts and stuff, he's picking it up good, and he knows what they're doing," Mateer said.

Mateer credits Deland McCullough's coaching for getting the new running backs up to speed quickly. The Sooners will want a healthy and capable stable of backs to lead in the mission to improve the rushing attack. Xavier Robinson's status as the leader of the room remains unchallenged.

With Tory Blaylock potentially dealing with a nagging injury sustained earlier in Fall Camp, Hatton and Lloyd Avant battle to win the trust of McCullough.

For Hatton, the route to a role begins with recognizing pressure, finding the right defender and giving Oklahoma’s quarterback time to operate. Everything else trickles down from there — judging by the look of him, that part appears to come easiest.

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