NORMAN — Saturday could be Eric Gray’s last ride at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
The senior has gotten better and better as the year wears on for the Sooners, and he’s been one of the most dynamic running backs in the country.
Gray’s 1,113 rushing yards rank No. 14 nationally, and the Memphis product is sixth in the country averaging 6.75 yards per carry.
It seems like ages ago that Gray struggled to score his first touchdown as a Sooner in 2021 as the focal point of OU’s offense has struck pay dirt 10 times on the ground this season.
Even when Oklahoma’s offense struggled, as it did last week in the Sooners’ 23-20 loss to West Virginia, Gray’s play has been a constant.
“I'm really proud of him and the consistency that he's performed at,” OU coach Brent Venables said on Tuesday. “This is a game of performance, and he has shown up each and every week. Sometimes he's made something out of nothing. He can make you miss at the second and third level. He can make you miss at the first level, for that matter.
“He runs through trash. He can get outside with his speed and run with patience and tempo inside. He's just been outstanding catching the ball in space as well. It's fun to see a guy like that who's so unassuming and hardworking have success.”
As the season has pressed on, offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby has called Gray’s number more and more.
In the last two weeks alone Gray has touched the ball 60 times, and though the team hasn’t come out on top he hasn’t complained about the physical toll his body has taken this season.
“I’m just trying to do as much as I can to help the team win,” Gray said after practice on Monday. “Being a team player. Ultimately, I am playing well. It’s a testament to the big boys upfront as well. It’s definitely good for me to be able to help the team in every way.”
Lebby is unafraid to keep the ball on the ground in Gray’s hands because of what he can do in the open field.
Chunk plays in the running game created by Gray’s ability to make defenders miss have opened up different facets of the offense all year long, something that’s not lost on his teammates.
“Some of Eric Gray’s runs are just like a deep ball,” wide receiver Marvin Mims said. ”They expose the defense. He breaks it open, he’s running for a while and we’re blocking up on the perimeter, but that definitely helps and opens the pass game, too, with the good play action.”
But Gray’s impact on the program will reach much farther than the numbers he puts up every Saturday.
Since Venables has taken over in Norman, the Sooner coach has spoken numerous times about the need to establish a new culture in the program the right way in 2022.
On the offensive side of the ball, Gray has been a key cog in that process.
“He’s been a pro since he’s been here,” true freshman running back Jovantae Barnes said of Gray. “Just coming in and him guiding me under his wing… it was a big transition from high school to college and I came in January so I had to make it fast. And he just did a great job of staying on me and making sure we had extra film about three times a day.
“And just making sure everything I messed up on he fixed it. Not only in film but also in practice. We’d go outside 15 minutes before practice and he’d just help me with things like that. So he’s been a big help and a great big brother.”
Gray’s excellent leadership isn’t a shock to Lebby, as that’s the player that Gray has been since the new coaching staff arrived last December. Lebby hopes his work ethic will be able to rub off on younger guys like Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk, setting a high standard for the running back room in Norman for years to come.
“Those guys understand what it's supposed to look like,” Lebby said. “They get to see it every single day. They see a guy that spends as much time or more time in the building as anybody else. And that's what's supposed to be.”
Saturday’s Bedlam tilt will also serve as Senior Day at Oklahoma.
Though Gray declined to comment on if he’s made up his mind about what his future plans entail, the Sooner running back did say he’s going to go through the Senior Day festivities and that he will cherish his moment this weekend.
“It’s very important,” he said. “Being at The Palace, The Palace has been a special place to me. And I’ve only been here for two years. Playing two seasons here, The Palace has been a special place. Just the rich tradition of The Palace. Being the last one in there (this season), makes it very special.”
All year long, Venables has looked for foundational leaders who will leave a mark on the program long after they’re gone.
This season, Gray has met the mark both on and off the field for the Sooners.
And Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC, Gray will have a chance to make one last statement in front of the home fans this season against Oklahoma State.
“Eric is kind of a quiet leader. But man, his play is really loud,” Venables said. “He's having a monster season. I think he's the fastest to 1,100+ yards since Adrian Peterson in 2004. We've had a bunch of great backs here, so that says a lot.
“… But he's been outstanding in blitz pickup as well. He's not a really big guy. He's muscled up and smaller in stature, but he plays big in that way as well. He's a perfectionist. He cares about his teammates. He's just a great teammate. I think the best reward you can have as a player is the respect of your teammates, and he has that.”
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