Gavin Sawchuk ready to carry the load for the Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners running game got off to a rocky start in 2023. Much of it due to injuries sustained by second-year running backs Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk.

Barnes played early, but wasn’t quite himself as he battled through injuries in the early part of the season. Sawchuk wasn’t fully available till midseason, but once he was, it didn’t take long for the former four-star running back to establish himself as the lead back.

He didn’t see more than 10 snaps in a game until Oklahoma’s win over UCF, where Sawchuk earned 10 carries and ran for 63 yards and a touchdown. The following week against Kansas, Tawee Walker ran wild and Sawchuk was limited to just six carries and 19 yards. But that was the last time he averaged less than five yards per carry over the remainder of the season.

Over the final five weeks, Sawchuk ran for 617 yards and six touchdowns. Extrapolate that over a 12-game season, and that looks more like 1,480 yards and 14 touchdowns over the course of a season. Heading into his third year in Norman, the redshirt sophomore has had a healthy offseason and another year in the strength and conditioning program.

Sawchuk has an opportunity to have a huge season leading the way for Oklahoma’s running game. Though there’s turnover along the offensive line, the Sooners have an athletic, physical, talented, and experienced group that will pave the way for Sawchuk and the Sooners running backs to have a strong season despite the move to the SEC.

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