NORMAN — Three weeks into the season, Eric Gray finally had his breakthrough as an Oklahoma Sooner.
The former Tennessee transfer was touted as OU’s feature back this offseason by offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, but he had an underwhelming opening two games to the 2022 season.
Gray carried the ball 26 times for 173 yards combined against UTEP and Kent State, averaging 6.7 yards per carry, but it appeared as if he still needed to find another gear.
Marcus Major looked to be the more explosive of the two backs across those two games, though Gray was handed double the work load.
All of that changed in Lincoln.
Gray finally found his groove, making Nebraska defenders miss left and right while running through tacklers to pick up extra yardage downfield.
The Memphis native needed only 11 carries to log 113 rushing yards and two scores, marking his best game on the ground in a Sooner uniform.
Gray’s patience was rewarded, as he told himself before the game not to press and to let the offense come to him.
“It felt great,” he said after the game. ”I felt good in the game. I told myself before the game, ‘Just be Eric. Just take what’s there. When you get later on in the game, it’ll pop.’ That’s what happened.”
For the entire story, please visit https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/football/oklahoma-rb-eric-gray-is-ready-to-build-on-breakout-performance-against-nebraska.
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