Oklahoma RB Eric Gray Shining Through Four Weeks
After a disappointing loss to Kansas State last Saturday, the Sooners are headed back to the drawing board. The coaches spent all weekend trying to figure out what went wrong, but also noticing what worked.
One common theme that has worked all season, through wins and losses, has been giving Eric Gray plenty of touches. Gray is excelling in Jeff Lebby’s offense, and he looks much more comfortable in his second year in Norman.
“Any time the run game is being dominant, it opens up a lot for us, it allows us to do a lot of things,” Dillon Gabriel said. “So having him (Gray) and the O-Line setting it up for him. when you give him open pathways or just good one-on-ones, he usually wins them.”
Through four games, the senior has 400 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Despite Saturday’s loss, Gray still ran for an impressive 114 yards on 16 carries. He’s averaging a career-best 7.5 yards per carry.
Oklahoma’s rushing attack has been impressive this year with Gray leading the charge. The offensive line played well on the field Saturday, with the main issues coming before the snap. The chemistry Gray has developed with his blockers is promising though.
“Eric Gray, man, that is an absolute animal right there,” center Andrew Raym said. “When he gets the ball in space and makes a cut, he’ll make anybody miss, it’s been awesome watching Eric play.”
Even though Gray has had a hot start to the season, his offensive coordinator thinks he has more in store. If Oklahoma is going to turn it around, he could be a big reason way.
“I think there's a lot more,” Jeff Lebby said. “I think he's gonna say the exact same thing. I think he's gonna want some runs back. I know he does, from the standpoint of being able to win some one on ones. He played incredibly hard. He played well. Just like all of us, man, we can play better.
"We're gonna continue to get better and play better as we go through this thing. But Eric's done a really good job. And again, I perceive that being the case all the way through the year.”
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