When Eric Gray heard his former coach Lincoln Riley was jetting off to sunny Southern California, his first instinct was to turn to someone he trusts.
Oklahoma’s senior running back sought out former Sooners great and current running backs coach DeMarco Murray, who played Gray’s position at the highest level and chose to stay put in Norman. The two have built a strong trust and Murray is the reason the Memphis native decided to transfer to OU from Tennessee in 2021 in the first place.
Gray’s ultimate goal is to play professionally after college and there’s no better mentor to help him achieve that than Murray, in his mind. After all, not many collegiate players can say they’re being coached by a former NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award recipient.
“When Lincoln left it put everybody in a bind,” Gray said following spring practice on Wednesday. “But being able to talk to DeMarco … I trusted him to say he's here, so I'm here. DeMarco was the reason I came (to Oklahoma), to be able to learn from a great, to learn from somebody who played at the level that I want to go to. So being able to learn from him and him staying was good for me.”
Senior running back Eric Gray during the Sooners' open practice on March 28.
Last season saw a fair share of struggles for Gray, who compiled 412 rushing yards and just two touchdowns on 78 carries. Since Kennedy Brooks declared for the NFL draft and Caleb Williams followed Riley to USC, the 5-foot-10-inch back leads all returners in rushing and should play a pivotal role in the Sooners’ offense.
Redshirt junior Marcus Major and freshman Jovante Barnes are also expected to contribute, while four-star prospect Gavin Sawchuck arrives in the fall
Gray looks back at last season as a learning curve and still watches tape from it to refine his techniques and focus on breaking out long runs.
“As a player, when things don't go your way you think about ‘How can I get better?’” Gray said. “I think last season was just a way for me to get better. I can still look at my runs from last year and say, ‘Okay, I can get better there to help me in this season.’ So I think last season was a stepping stone for me and my growth of getting better mentally and physically.
“For me it’s running more physically, breaking those long runs, because you need that as an offense. You need a back that's going to be able to break those long runs and take it to the house and get your linemen off the field. With the tempo we're playing, those linemen, they want to get off the field. So if you can break it, you make everyone happy.”
Gray is expected to be a threat in the passing game in 2022 as well, as he caught 23 passes last season, including a team-high five vs. Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. He also garnered 229 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns last season.
The former four-star recruit from Lausanne Collegiate School sees an opportunity to improve in new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby’s system. At Mississippi, Lebby conducted an impressive rushing attack that ranked No. 12 in the nation in rushing yards per game.
Lebby indicated during the first week of spring practices he’s excited about the running back room, which is led by Gray. He noted he has found success with different running backs of different styles in his system throughout the years.
“It’s great to be able to have that relationship with your offensive coordinator,” Gray said. “That's the guy that ultimately on fourth-and-1 is gonna put the ball in your hands. It’s great to have that atmosphere. He's a great, down to Earth guy that I can go and talk to about anything. It doesn't have to be about football. I can go talk to him about life, about anything.”
Senior running back Eric Gray during the Sooners' open practice on March 28.
Having the most experience at the position entering next season comes with certain expectations and responsibilities. Gray said he has already embraced the challenge of becoming a leader on offense this spring and is more vocal than before.
Approaching another year under Murray, a faster tempo offense and a chance to be the guy touting the rock, Gray is ready to keep pushing forward, learn from his mistakes and prepare physically and mentally.
“You have those ups and downs. It's not how many times you fall, it's how many times you get up,” Gray said. “If you keep going, you keep driving, you have no choice but to be the best. … Like my dad always says, 'they can’t keep a good man down long.'”
