Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock Were Bright Spots in a Frustrating Oklahoma RB Room

The Sooners leaned on a pair of underclassmen in 2025 after whiffing on a big swing in the transfer portal.

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

With Oklahoma’s 2025 season fully in the rearview, Sooners on SI is handing out position-by-position grades for every area of the team, continuing today with the running backs.

---

DeMarco Murray’s running back rotations were once again an enigma. 

The Sooners started the year with plenty of viable options, but injuries, poor play and an effective opt-out meant OU finished the year with a pair of banged-up underclassmen trying to carry the load. 

Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock were the deserved leaders of the group, as they both played through anything and everything to stay on the field and help the team, but they got little help from their teammates. 

Veteran Jovantae Barnes shut himself down from playing after four games to maintain his redshirt so he could transfer and play one final year of college football in 2026. He finished with 19 carries for 45 yards and one score, as well as one catch for 16 yards. 

Jaydn Ott, OU’s big offseason transfer portal addition from Cal, was a bust. 

He played in seven games, though he only totaled 68 yards on 21 carries and two catches for 10 yards. 

---

Read More 2025 OU Report Cards

• Offensive Line
• Defensive Ends
• Defensive Tackles
• Tight Ends
• Linebackers

---

Ott injured his shoulder in fall camp and never seemed to recover. His effort in the blocking game was poor, and he quickly fell out of favor. 

Murray couldn’t turn to Taylor Tatum, who spent most of the year banged up, leaving him with Robinson and Blaylock.

Thankfully, the underclassmen were there for their running back coach. 

Blaylock led the group with 480 rushing yards and four scores on 120 carries, as well as 13 catches for 77 yards. 

The true freshman played through his own shoulder injury, but still was able to contribute a pair of 100-yard performances against South Carolina and Temple.

Robinson took a few weeks to get going after bouncing back from his own fall camp injury disruptions, and he looked like he’d again have the ability to change OU’s offense at the end of October. 

The sophomore finished with 421 yards and four touchdowns on 83 carries, adding 15 receptions for 106 yards and an additional touchdown through the air. 

Robinson came alive against Ole Miss, rushing for 109 yards on nine carries in the 34-26 loss. He flipped momentum in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium with a big third-quarter rumble, but the Sooners were unable to finish off the comeback in the fourth quarter. 

He took that showing and built on it the next week. 

Robinson totaled 115 yards and a score on 16 carries in the Sooners’ 33-27 win over Tennessee, but Robinson sustained a knee injury against Alabama that hampered his production. 

Despite needing a postseason surgery to get right, Robinson toughed it out to ensure the Sooners had a running back against Missouri, LSU and the Crimson Tide again in the College Football Playoff. 

All of the issues in the running game meant the Sooners again were one of the worst rushing attacks in the nation, but the performances of Robinson and Blaylock can be built upon in 2026.