After a Superb Year, Oklahoma RB Eric Gray Ready for ‘Special’ Senior Day Outing

NORMAN — Saturday may very well be Eric Grey’s final journey at Gaylord Household-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

The senior has gotten higher and higher because the 12 months wears on for the Sooners, and he’s been some of the dynamic operating backs within the nation.

Grey’s 1,113 speeding yards rank No. 14 nationally, and the Memphis product is sixth within the nation averaging 6.75 yards per carry.

It looks as if ages in the past that Grey struggled to attain his first landing as a Sooner in 2021 as the focus of OU’s offense has struck pay grime 10 instances on the bottom this season.

Even when Oklahoma’s offense struggled, because it did final week within the Sooners’ 23-20 loss to West Virginia, Grey’s play has been a continuing.

“I am actually happy with him and the consistency that he is carried out at,” OU coach Brent Venables mentioned on Tuesday. “This can be a sport of efficiency, and he has proven up each week. Typically he is made one thing out of nothing. He could make you miss on the second and third degree. He could make you miss on the first degree, for that matter.

“He runs by trash. He can get exterior along with his velocity and run with persistence and tempo inside. He is simply been excellent catching the ball in house as properly. It is enjoyable to see a man like that who’s so unassuming and hardworking have success.”

Because the season has pressed on, offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby has referred to as Grey’s quantity increasingly.

Within the final two weeks alone Grey has touched the ball 60 instances, and although the crew hasn’t come out on prime he hasn’t complained concerning the bodily toll his physique has taken this season.

“I’m simply making an attempt to do as a lot as I can to assist the crew win,” Grey mentioned after follow on Monday. “Being a crew participant. In the end, I’m taking part in properly. It’s a testomony to the massive boys upfront as properly. It’s positively good for me to have the ability to assist the crew in each means.”

Lebby is unafraid to maintain the ball on the bottom in Grey’s arms due to what he can do within the open area.

Chunk performs within the operating sport created by Grey’s capability to make defenders miss have opened up completely different aspects of the offense all 12 months lengthy, one thing that’s not misplaced on his teammates.

“A few of Eric Grey’s runs are identical to a deep ball,” vast receiver Marvin Mims mentioned. ”They expose the protection. He breaks it open, he’s operating for some time and we’re blocking up on the perimeter, however that positively helps and opens the go sport, too, with the nice play motion.”

However Grey’s affect on this system will attain a lot farther than the numbers he places up each Saturday.

Since Venables has taken over in Norman, the Sooner coach has spoken quite a few instances about the necessity to set up a brand new tradition in this system the fitting means in 2022.

On the offensive facet of the ball, Grey has been a key cog in that course of.

“He’s been a professional since he’s been right here,” true freshman operating again Jovantae Barnes mentioned of Grey. “Simply coming in and him guiding me underneath his wing… it was a giant transition from highschool to varsity and I got here in January so I needed to make it quick. And he simply did an incredible job of staying on me and ensuring we had additional movie about 3 times a day.

“And simply ensuring every little thing I tousled on he mounted it. Not solely in movie but in addition in follow. We’d go exterior quarter-hour earlier than follow and he’d simply assist me with issues like that. So he’s been a giant assist and an incredible huge brother.”

Grey’s wonderful management isn’t a shock to Lebby, as that’s the participant that Grey has been because the new teaching employees arrived final December. Lebby hopes his work ethic will have the ability to rub off on youthful guys like Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk, setting a excessive customary for the operating again room in Norman for years to return.

“These guys perceive what it is alleged to seem like,” Lebby mentioned. “They get to see it each single day. They see a man that spends as a lot time or extra time within the constructing as anyone else. And that is what’s alleged to be.”

Saturday’s Bedlam tilt can even function Senior Day at Oklahoma.

Although Grey declined to touch upon if he’s made up his thoughts about what his future plans entail, the Sooner operating again did say he’s going to undergo the Senior Day festivities and that he’ll cherish his second this weekend.

“It’s crucial,” he mentioned. “Being at The Palace, The Palace has been a particular place to me. And I’ve solely been right here for 2 years. Taking part in two seasons right here, The Palace has been a particular place. Simply the wealthy custom of The Palace. Being the final one in there (this season), makes it very particular.”

All 12 months lengthy, Venables has regarded for foundational leaders who will go away a mark on this system lengthy after they’re gone.

This season, Grey has met the mark each on and off the sphere for the Sooners.

And Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC, Grey could have an opportunity to make one final assertion in entrance of the house followers this season in opposition to Oklahoma State. 

“Eric is sort of a quiet chief. However man, his play is actually loud,” Venables mentioned. “He is having a monster season. I feel he is the quickest to 1,100+ yards since Adrian Peterson in 2004. We have had a bunch of nice backs right here, so that claims rather a lot.

“… However he is been excellent in blitz pickup as properly. He isn’t a extremely huge man. He is muscled up and smaller in stature, however he performs huge in that means as properly. He is a perfectionist. He cares about his teammates. He is only a nice teammate. I feel the most effective reward you may have as a participant is the respect of your teammates, and he has that.”

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