Oklahoma running backs coach DeMarco Murray has been pleased with his room this spring.
The Sooners return senior Eric Gray, who will likely take most of the starting reps, and redshirt junior Marcus Major, who played in just six games in 2021 due to being academically ineligible. Murray also noted he’s excited to see what freshman Jovantae Barnes will contribute despite being a freshman.
Barnes was a four-star recruit and the No. 10 running back in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. The Las Vegas native rushed for 567 yards and 11 touchdowns in his senior season and was a 2021 first-team Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada selection.
“He's a great athlete, he's a really good athlete,” Murray said. “He's strong, he's powerful. But when you think about a young kid, you always wonder how mature he is, the mindset and can he handle playing as a freshman? He's put himself in a great situation since January to have that opportunity (to play as a freshman) if he continues to work hard, continue to grasp the offense and just stay physical.
“He's done a great job with our strength coaches in the weight room in the offseason program. Getting stronger, faster and when spring ball is over he's going to want more because he's gonna feel like he's just now scratching the surface. He's finally understanding the play calls and the concepts of things but we're excited to have him on the team.”
Running backs coach DeMarco Murray before the Valero Alamo Bowl against No. 14 Oregon at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Dec. 29, 2021.
Murray remembers former coach after death
Murray remembered his former position coach Gary Brown, who died on Sunday, from his time playing for the Dallas Cowboys
Brown coached Murray for two seasons in 2013 and 2014 and made an impact on the star running back that outweighed football. Murray said his former coach also influenced his decision to pursue coaching after his playing career.
“(He was) just a great person, extremely generous,” Murray said. “My career took off when he became the running backs coach… you talk about a guy who lights up the room, a guy who was extremely selfless and was more than a coach to me.”
Under Brown in 2014, Murray rushed for 1,845 yards, took home the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award and finished third in NFL MVP voting.
“He was a great mentor, my great friend, someone who really just took my career and helped me from all aspects. Obviously, the husband and father that I am, and the coach that I am now. He's one of the guys that got me into this profession because I used to see him and learn so much from him, and see how much he poured into his players.
“Obviously, an extremely sad deal and prayers go out to his family. Unbelievable person.”
Then-freshman offensive lineman Anton Harrison before the game against Kansas on Nov. 7, 2020.
Support staffers helping Harrison
Anton Harrison has become a seasoned veteran on the Sooners’ offensive line after making 12 starts last fall and playing in 22 games across his first two seasons.
The junior, likely the returning starter at left tackle, said his goals this spring are to assume more leadership and find consistency in his performance. Looking back, he would’ve advised himself to spend more time in the weight room even though he was getting on the field early in his career.
During spring practices, Harrison has looked to catch up on what he missed as a younger player. Working out with strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt has only helped him improve.
“He's been great at getting us stronger, but also our mindset and the stuff that's not physical,” Harrison said of Schmidt. “He's been big on us being more together. So like after lifts we go with him and just do stuff as a unit, more unit stuff and less individual stuff.
“It was something that I felt like we always needed to do more. It's just something that we never really were big on, but I feel like it's changing now and the culture is changing where our unit is being more together and more focused, and on point.”
Harrison has received additional assistance from support staffers Phil Loadholt and Ryan Young this spring.
Loadholt, a former OU and Minnesota Vikings lineman, was hired as an offensive line analyst this offseason. Young, a former Kansas State tackle with five years of NFL experience, is now senior director of Oklahoma’s S.O.U.L. Mission team, handling player relations.
“Phil, I actually talk to him almost every day,” Harrison said. “Outside of practice, with school football, just life, he's somebody that I got to hanging out with outside of football, just kick it with one day, watch football, just talk about life. And Ryan Young, he's more on our Soul Mission side, so I'm mainly talking to him more about just life things and life situations, but both have been pretty big since they've been here.”
Senior offensive lineman Chris Murray dons the Golden Hat after the Sooners defeated Texas in the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl on Oct. 9, 2021.
Chris Murray seeing similar scheme changes to UCLA
For the third time in Chris Murray’s college career, he’ll have a new offensive coordinator.
First it was Chip Kelly for two seasons at UCLA, before Murray transferred to OU and spent two seasons learning from Lincoln Riley. Now as a fifth-year senior offensive guard for the Sooners, he gets to work with Jeff Lebby, a former Sooners offensive lineman.
“It’s been great to be around Coach Lebby,” Murray said. “A personal Oklahoma Sooner, used to play offensive line too. So that’s just been an amazing thing, being around him as offensive coordinator, seeing how he runs stuff. Also, just have that old offensive line mentality behind him.”
Murray started 13 games for OU last season and was an All-Big 12 honorable mention. Riley wasn’t shy of running the ball as the play caller last season, but Murray said Lebby’s offensive ideology is a bit different.
According to Murray, Lebby won’t allow the offense to not possess a strong run game.
“When we need to we’re going to run the ball,” Murray said. (Lebby’s) not shy from that. And he’s instilled that in us that needs to be something that’s one of our tools.”
One of the most prominent changes from Riley to Lebby’s system is the emphasis on tempo. Across his stints at Central Florida and Mississippi, the 38-year-old coordinator is known for deploying a fast-paced offense.
But for Murray, a quicker approach isn’t all that new. He said during his tenure with Kelly calling the plays for the Bruins, the offensive line schemes were similar.
“Very much the same as far as just the urgency,” Murray said of the offense’s rhythm. “Getting the ball down, getting the play started even if the defense isn’t set. That urgency mindset, I feel like that’s been something I’ve seen both here and at UCLA.”
Murray said he thought about following two of his closest friends, former Oklahoma offensive linemen Tyrese Robinson and Marquis Hayes, and entering the NFL draft. However, after a conversation with position coach Bill Bedenbaugh, he knew it was best for the team, and his draft stock to stay an extra year.
Ahead of his final season, Murray said he feels like he’s in the best football shape of his life. Schmidt was his personal training rack coach during the offseason, and Murray said his ability to buy into what was taught helped him shred fat and gain additional muscle.
As the oldest among OU’s offensive line, he hopes his experience and relationships with his coaches helps him take the next steps he needs to join the professional ranks.
“I trust this coaching staff and this university,” Murray said. “So if me coming back was what (Bedenbaugh) thought was best, and what I thought was best, I was going to do that.”
Redshirt junior quarterback Dillon Gabriel during the Sooners' open practice on March 28.
Offensive linemen praise Gabriel
Harrison has been impressed with OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has been quick to assume command of the offense.
After three seasons at UCF, Gabriel also boasts a tad more experience than other quarterbacks Harrison has played with like Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams.
“Since day one he's been here, he's connected with everybody on and off the field,” Harrison said. “He's a great guy. About him being a lefty, I feel like it helps me more because he can see that way, but nothing else really changes. But he's a great leader on the field with how we move on the field, our tempo, he leads us, he gets us going.
“Dillon knows the playbook better than everybody. This was his offense, so I feel like he helps us a lot. We meet with him, we talk to him about the playbook on the field with the tempo. He sometimes will even call out a block for us because he knows it so well. So it's just been great having him back there at quarterback, because he just pretty much (can) help us and teach us.”
Murray also thinks highly of Gabriel’s ability to be an instant-impact teammate.
“Dillon’s a rare guy. He’s very calm, and he’s a very, kind of just team player. It’s easy to surround him (and) want to play for him. It’s been great having him in our huddle too, another experienced guy. And you could just feel the calmness that he came in here with and it’s translating to the field.”
