⚡ CFB Dashboard

NORMAN — Oklahoma spent the offseason retooling its offense and placing an emphasis on establishing a "kickass" downhill rushing attack. In the team's season-opening 51-0 win against UTEP on Friday, Oklahoma's offense debuted that new-look offense, which scratched the surface of what to expect from the rushing attack in the weeks to come. The Sooners ran for 170 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards per carry against the Miners in Week 1. It wasn't an overwhelming debut, by any means, but the performance showed a noticeable change in Oklahoma's approach to running the ball in Year 2 under offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. "I thought there was some good urgency in the run game, just in the lines of scrimmage, just kind of all the emphasis that we put on it—not just throughout game week but throughout spring ball, fall camp alike," Arbuckle said Tuesday. "I thought the urgency was high. I thought there was, at times, really, really good pad level, good velocity off the ball, but do I still believe that we can get a whole lot better in those areas and (that) we need to? Absolutely." Oklahoma's rushing performance in the opener was a modest but somewhat promising start that featured a varied combination of 12-, 13- and 14-personnel, multiple running backs rotating into the backfield and even multiple runs from under center. The Sooners exited Week 1 ranked 63rd in the FBS in rushing offense (171 yards per game) and 67th in yards per carry (4.4). Of course, it's a small sample size across the sport, with teams having played only one or, at most, two games against varying levels of competition. For Oklahoma, though, there were some things to like about the run game against an overwhelmed UTEP team. Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant looked decisive while leading the way at running back, finishing with a team-high 79 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries while averaging 5.27 yards per attempt — a mark that's 19th among FBS running backs with at least that many carries, as well as second in the SEC, behind only Florida's Jadan Baugh (9.3 yards per attempt). The Sooners' trio of running backs who appeared in the opener and are listed on the depth chart (Avant, Xavier Robinson and Jonathan Hatton Jr.) also combined to average 3.72 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. That is above the standard of 3 yards after contact that running backs coach Deland McCullough wants them to average. (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)   That performance also came with Oklahoma missing multiple pieces along the offensive line while also shuffling its lineup up front throughout the game. It left Arbuckle pleased with the overall performance after having some time to fully evaluate the tape. "Just the willingness, urgency and mindset to go out there and continue to move people off the ball, move people off the line of scrimmage, run violent whenever the ball's in my hand, (and) go get those dirty 2-, 3-, 4-yard runs that the more violent you run, turn into more 5-, 6-, 7-, 15-yard runs," Arbuckle said. "So, we have to continue stressing that, continue stressing the ball security that goes into that too. I was really proud, again, I thought a lot of things that have been emphasized really came to life, just position-specific. That's what we have to do; we have to continue building off that." The season's first edition of Statistically Speaking examines those rushing numbers, as well as where Oklahoma stacks up statistically after the opening week of action. So, here's a look at where Oklahoma ranks in the SEC and nationally in various statistical categories through Week 1 of the 2026 season…