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Oklahoma Sooners already having buyer's remorse over once-prized transfer portal pickup
NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma Sooners already having buyer's remorse over once-prized transfer portal pickup

Originally posted on A to Z Sports  |  By AJ Schulte  |  Last updated Oct 12, 2025 1:04 AM ET

The Oklahoma Sooners made waves throughout the offseason when they picked up Cal running back Jadyn Ott, a player who was once one of the best running backs in the country. This was a coup for the Sooners, who desperately needed a number-one running back and answer for their offensive woes on the ground. His pickup was a positive one that had many analysts buzzing about the potential of Oklahoma's offense with a 1-2 punch of Ott and quarterback John Mateer.

It has been anything but that for the Sooners. Ott had been on a strange pitch count at the beginning of the season after missing time in practice and looked like a shell of himself early on. However, many simply attributed it to missed time and injury or maybe an adjustment to Oklahoma's new scheme. He appeared to turn a corner with more reps against Kent State, and there was optimism for the rest of the season.

After his game against Texas, however, I'm not sure the Sooners will want to see him for the rest of the season. If they do, he needs to find a way to return to his former self. Otherwise, that pickup will be nothing but a massive disaster for Oklahoma.

Jaydn Ott Stats

  • 1,305 yards and 12 TDs in 2023; left Cal with over 2,500 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns
  • Jadyn Ott was a Preseason All-SEC pick at running back
  • Has just 66 yards on 20 carries with zero touchdowns

Jaydn Ott Looks Unplayable

It's not that Ott looks bad. If it were just bad, it could be dealt with. You could blame it on injuries sapping some of his juice and has him playing a little hesitant of contact. Not exactly a good thing, but one that is understandable and a bit fixable with reps.

No, it's the fact that he looks completely unplayable. Ott has no will to do anything on the field right now for the Sooners. He's whiffed blocks, he's dropped easy passes, he's not making defenders miss in the open field. All of the things that once appealed Ott to scouts are completely gone from his film, and he plays almost bored. What Ott once was no longer seems to exist, and at this point, I don't know how that can possibly get fixed for the rest of the season.

One play after this "block", Ott drops a screen. While I don't have the snap counts, I think that was the final straw for the Sooners' coaching staff, as I did not see Ott take the field again for the rest of the season. Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson got the carries the rest of the way.

It's a disappointing result for what was once a promising addition for the Sooners. Now, I'm not sure he even deserves to get run the rest of the season, barring an injury to the rest of the room. Venables talked about how things hadn't really been clicking for Ott, and I wonder just how big the mental block is on his game. It's sapping everything from him and further worsening Oklahoma's run game woes.

If Ott wants to salvage this season, he has to turn the light switch upstairs on, and soon. Otherwise, what could have been for him as a Sooner is going to be nothing but a waste of time and resources for everyone involved.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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