One Position Battle Oklahoma GM Jim Nagy is Excited to Watch in Fall Camp

With fall camp around the corner, Oklahoma general manager Jim Nagy is excited to start the next phase of the season.

Camp will get underway on Aug. 6 to start the march toward OU’s difficult opening slate.

While many position battles will rage amongst the Sooners’ backups, Nagy can’t wait to see how things shake out at running back.

“I think (that’s) the position battle that I am looking forward to the most in camp,” Nagy said in an interview on The Franchise Morning Show at SEC Media Days.

Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock return from last year’s running back room, but there was a healthy amount of turnover.

Oklahoma Sooners, Xavier Robinson — Oklahoma running back Xavier Robinson rushes for a touchdown against Ole Miss. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

OU added freshmen Jonathan Hatton Jr. and DeZephen Walker, as well as do-it-all transfer Lloyd Avant from Colorado State.

The Sooners also saw a staff change.

Running backs coach DeMarco Murray moved to the NFL to join the Kansas City Chiefs, so Oklahoma brought in Deland McCullough, most recently of the Las Vegas Raiders, to take the room over.

McCullough was able to watch back last year’s tape, where Blaylock rushed for 480 yards and four scores on 120 carries and Robinson totaled 421 yards and four touchdowns on 83 carries, though both backs played through injury in 2025.

McCullough got a chance to evaluate his entire group during the spring.

“Last year we were banged up in fall camp. We were banged up again in the spring with Tory and X,” Nagy said. “… But it gave some of the young guys and Lloyd Avant, who we got in the portal from Colorado State, a great opportunity to get run. I think Deland did an unbelievable job of splitting the workload up between all of those guys.”

Improving the rushing attack has been one of Oklahoma’s top priorities this offseason.

The Sooners were able to make the most of a tough situation, as injuries at receiver during the spring allowed OU to spend even more time on its ground game, specifically as the offense worked to integrate its trio of tight end additions from the portal.

“The silver lining … It allowed us to do was go more heavy personnel and really get a good look at Hayden Hansen and Rocky Beers and Jack Van Dorselaer and what they can do,” Nagy said. “So that was exciting. That was really exciting.”

With the pieces in place, fall camp will serve as a major battleground to hash out how the running game will look against Michigan, Georgia and Texas in the Sooners’ first five games.

“There’s going to be a lot of guys vying for that job and those carries. And competition brings out the best in everyone,” Nagy said. “That’s the goal in the offseason is just to create as much competition in every single room as you can when you’re in my position in trying to build this thing. That’s all you’re trying to do and I think we did that.

“But that’ll be a fun spot to watch.”

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