NORMAN — Jovantae Barnes was patient when he received a handoff from Jackson Arnold.

In the middle of the first quarter, OU football trailed Maine by a touchdown and needed a spark offensively. On the first play, Barnes waited for his blockers to get in position before making two Black Bear defenders miss with jukes. He was then free for what he thought was 75 yards to the end zone.

The play was initially called a touchdown but Barnes was ruled short at the 1-yard line.

“I still think it was a touchdown,” said Barnes, who two plays later punched in a 2-yard score. “They might say different. But it felt good to break one and just celebrate with my guys. … I was mad because I was like, ‘Just give me the touchdown.’ But to just go in there again and get it. It felt good.”

Barnes’ performance in the Sooners’ 59-14 win over Maine on Saturday felt extra special after a rollercoaster 2023 season when he dealt with a foot injury, starting just one game and rushing for one touchdown. Barnes put those past frustrations aside this season and has not only cemented himself as OU’s leading running back but also he’s found his voice as one of the Sooners’ unquestioned leaders on offense.

Barnes’ 203 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns were each career highs. He averaged 11.3 yards on his 18 carries.

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“It’s been awesome to see,” OU quarterback Jackson Arnold said. “Obviously I wasn’t here his freshman year when he played really well. And I came in last year, I was waiting to see Jovantae because everyone kept talking about how hard he ran and this and that and he just had injuries last year and I wasn’t able to see it. And to finally see it this year come to fruition this year has been really awesome. I’m super proud of him.”

As a freshman in 2022, Barnes played in 11 games and scored five touchdowns. When the season ended, Barnes was atop many people’s lists of potential Sooners transfers but said he never once thought about leaving.

OU running backs coach DeMarco Murray have developed a close relationship. Both are from Las Vegas. It was Murray who phoned Barnes following the Sooners’ loss to Arizona in last season’s Alamo Bowl to make sure he was keeping his head up and that he knew if he stayed his time was coming. They took a moment to celebrate how far Barnes has come with an emotional embrace and a picture together postgame Saturday.

“I’m really proud of him,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “He continued to come back and work hard and was on a mission, if you will, and it’s a great example for the other players, everybody learns from that. All that matters is what you do moving forward and things are going to happen, and you have to overcome some things. And certainly he did that with being frustrated with being injured and not being able to get into a rhythm a year ago.”

After running hard the past few weeks and being one of the few bright spots on the Sooners’ offense, it has felt like a breakout game was coming for Barnes. He felt it too and told wide receiver J.J. Hester pregame that he was going to perform well.

Barnes’ 158 first-half rushing yards was the most by an OU running back since Samaje Perine’s FBS single-game record performance against Kansas in 2014. Barnes’ 74-yard rush was the Sooners’ longest rushing play since Rhamondre Stevenson’s 75-yarder against South Dakota in 2019.

Although it was against an FCS opponent, offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley said Barnes’ performance can elevate the entire offense’s play throughout the rest of the season.

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“It always starts with the run,” Finley said. “As you saw today, whenever you can do that, some different things open up for you. I’m extremely proud of Jovantae because he’s finally healthy and able to show what he can do. … You just see the steps. Hopefully you continue to take those little steps, one week at a time, one day at a time, one rep at a time.”

Barnes’ performance also meant more to tight end Kaden Helms, who also dealt with injuries and scored his first career touchdown on Saturday. Barnes and Helms, who signed with OU in the same recruiting class, pushed each other last season and made it a competition every day in the training room to get healthier and improve.

“That’s my guy,” Helms said. “It was great to see the run game going, great to see Vontae doing what everyone including himself knows he can do.”

During a meeting in preseason camp, Venables encouraged Barnes to speak to the entire team about his experiences a season ago. The Sooners used Barnes’ speech as inspiration to fight through mental obstacles.

Barnes showed off his immense talent on that long run in the first quarter. But it’s been his perspective and leadership throughout OU’s disappointing 5-4 start to the season that has impressed those around him.

“Last year doesn’t have to have anything to do with this year,” Venables said. “He just put his head down and created an opportunity for himself, made the most of the opportunity when he’s gotten in and he’s just really excelled and has really taken off.”

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OU at Missouri

KICKOFF: 6 of 6:45 p.m. Saturday at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. (ESPN or SEC Network)