Oklahoma OC Ben Arbuckle Says RBs Have Been 'Really Tough' Throughout Rehab Process

NORMAN — The Sooners are hoping that their running back room will be a bit fresher when they take on Alabama on Friday.

Oklahoma went 4-0 in its grueling final four-game stretch that included games against Tennessee and Alabama on the road and Missouri and LSU at home. The Sooners did so with running back Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock battling through injuries.

Those two backs got more than two weeks to recover since the Sooners’ last game, and OU coach Brent Venables hopes they’ll be closer to full strength in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

“It’s been beneficial for the whole team just to get a little healthier,” Venables said. “It’s that time of the year for everybody in college football where everybody can benefit from a little less time on their feet and a little more time in the walkthroughs and meetings and not practicing as well. Comes at a great, great time for us, and I expect to have a little fresher football team coming into this game.”

Blaylock, a true freshman, led the Sooners in rushing during the regular season with 444 yards and four touchdowns on 109 carries.

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He suffered an injury early into OU’s game against Tennessee on Nov. 1 and played only six snaps in that game. Blaylock played 23 snaps the next week against Alabama before logging only three snaps against Missouri on Nov. 22. Blaylock went for 42 yards on 11 carries in the regular-season finale against LSU and played 43 snaps.

Robinson played through a knee injury for the entirety of the regular season. Still, he logged 417 yards and four touchdowns and eclipsed 100 yards in two games.

OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle praised both Blaylock and Robinson’s recovery efforts in the weeks leading up to the Sooners’ CFP opener.

“Those two dudes are really, really tough,” Arbuckle said. “Just being able to rest and relax a little bit... I think it’s just really going to help their body, help their mindset, too. I’m excited for the rehab that they’ve been able to get, how we’ve been able to take care of their bodies as well as everybody else’s bodies. I’m excited to finally be back in game week so we can get to watch these guys play again.”

Others in the running back include Jovantae Barnes, Taylor Tatum and Jaydn Ott.

Barnes played in only four games during the regular season, likely to preserve his redshirt. Tatum's lone appearance came in the Sooners’ 26-7 win against South Carolina. Ott, who transferred from Cal before the season, played in seven games but rushed for only 68 yards during the regular season.

Quarterback John Mateer is also a major factor in the Sooners’ run game. Mateer compiled 416 rushing yards and had a team-high seven rushing touchdowns during the regular season.

Mateer knows the importance of having a healthy, efficient rushing offense against a strong team like Alabama.

“You establish the run, it helps the throw. You see all these offenses around college football, they do a great job of it. We do a good job and it's football, it makes it easier."

Friday’s game between OU and Alabama will kick off at 7 p.m.