Oklahoma Starting 11: Running Back Eric Gray
When Eric Gray arrived in Norman last season, external expectations on him may have a little unrealistic.
Gray isn’t built like a feature running back, so to think he’d get 250 rushes or go for 1,200 yards probably were lofty, at best. But Gray showed last season he can contribute in a multitude of ways, and he elevated Lincoln Riley’s offense with his intelligence, his versatility and his explosiveness.
Now, with a year under his belt but having to learn a brand new playbook, what are the expectations for Gray in 2022?
Oklahoma Starting 11
- No. 11: Brayden Willis
- No. 10: Jeffery Johnson
- No. 9: Andrew Raym
- No. 8: Michael Turk
- No. 7: Eric Gray
Well, the learning part should be no problem.
“Even last year, coming to this new system, he picked it up within a week or two,” said running backs coach DeMarco Murray. “This offense, now we're all learning it together. He may know it better than I do right now.”
With Kennedy Brooks off to the NFL Draft, Gray is new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby’s most experienced running back. The 5-foot-9, 206-pound Gray carried 78 times for 412 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Sooners, and also contributed 23 receptions for 229 yards and two more TDs.
He saved the best for last, with a season-high 82 yards rushing to go with 25 yards receiving and a touchdown against Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.
And 2021 was a relatively light load. Gray’s two seasons at Tennessee, he got 258 carries for 1,311 yards and eight TDs and also caught 43 passes for 369 yards and three scores.
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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Compared with senior Marcus Major (60 carries, 298 yards, three TDs in his career), freshmen Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuck, or walk-ons Jaden Knowles or Todd Hudson, Gray has been a virtual workhorse — and could become one for real this fall.
“He's a pro,” Murray said. “He's extremely sharp in what he does on and off the field, and he's handling it the right way.”
As a consensus 4-star prospect out of Lausanne High School in Memphis, Gray was the No. 2 all-purpose running back prospect in the nation, according to 247 Sports, as well as the No. 2 player in the state of Tennessee. He was a 2019 All-American Bowl performer, was the first three-time winner of the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and was the two-time Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year.
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Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports
Gray set the state record for career touchdowns (138), rushed for 2,499 yards as a senior, 3,151 yards as a junior and 2,251 s a sophomore as he led his team to two state championships.
Spring practice will be important for Gray to pick things up — and then teach what he can. Lebby’s offense will utilize tempo to wrack up a lot of plays, so he’ll need strength and endurance. Explosive as he may be, he’ll need to improve his pass blocking this year as left-hander Dillon Gabriel, takes over the offense coming off an injury and with unproven depth behind him.
Offensive coaches expressed how their learning curve for Lebby’s offense has been ramped up. So experienced and mature players like Gray are taking on an even greater role.
“Obviously the new offense, those guys have picked it up very well,” Murray said. “They're kind of holding their own meetings and are being led by Eric Gray.
“He's done a terrific job.”
