Transfer Spotlight – Oklahoma RB Eric Gray

At CFB Saturdays we recognize that the landscape is always changing in College Football and the undeniable impact transfers have had on our beloved sport in recent history.  Transfers have gone on to make College Football Playoff runs, win the Heisman, the National Championship, and become top NFL Draft Picks (Joe Burrow recently accomplished all of the above).  In the Transfer Spotlight we take a look at the potential impact of top Transfers in 2021.  Today we take a look at Oklahoma RB Eric Gray who spent the last two seasons at Tennessee.

A Solid Start

Eric Gray was a four star recruit in Tennessee’s 2019 recruiting class. He was an instant impact player in year one and earned a key role in the backfield. Tennessee had three running backs carry the ball over 100 times each and Gray was the most effective of the trio. Gray had a huge game late in the season when he ran for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns on 25 carries against Vanderbilt. On the year, he had 101 carries for 539 yards and 4 touchdowns, while also catching 13 passes for 115 yards and another touchdown. Gray finished the season strong and was ready for a bigger role in 2020.

After an 8 – 5 season in 2020, Tennessee came into the 2020 season with high expectations. With a talented offensive line and two top backs from 2019 returning, the running game in particular was expected to be a strength. The season was a disaster for the Volunteers, the team finished 3 – 7 and lost 7 of their last 8 games. Poor quarterback play made it difficult for the offense to find a rhythm, but Gray still managed four 100 yard games, including a 22 carry 173 yard performance and a touchdown against Auburn. Gray finished 2020 with 772 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns on 157 carries and another 254 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns on 30 catches.

With the situation at Tennessee unraveling and head coach Jeremy Pruitt on the way out the door, Gray entered the transfer portal. He decided in late January to transfer to Oklahoma.  The Sooners went 9 – 2 in 2020 and won 8 games in a row to close out the season. The Sooners won the Big 12 Championship and defeated Florida in the Cotton Bowl. Gray hopes to step into a primary role in the Oklahoma backfield during the 2021 season.

Eric Gray’s Talent

At 5’10” 205 lbs, Eric Gray is a compact back who runs with a low center of gravity and has good balance. Gray is tough to tackle because of his balance and ability to bounce off tackles and keep his feet going. He is a strong 205 lbs and will run through arm tackles. Gray has good lateral quickness and can change directions abruptly to make defenders miss in space. He shows good burst and has the long speed to make a big play once in the open field.

Gray has good hands and is a legitimate pass catching threat out of the backfield. His quickness creates mismatches in the passing game that the offense can exploit. Gray is an all purpose back who is difficult to game plan for. Oklahoma’s offense will create more opportunities for Gray to get in space and show his big play ability as a runner and a receiver.

Outlook at Oklahoma

Oklahoma went on a run to close the season and finished strong. The Sooners have dominated the Big 12 recently and consistently have one of the best offenses in college football. The offense led the Big 12 in points per game and passing yards per game, while finishing fifth in the conference in rushing yards per game. Gray will look to add to an already explosive offense in Norman.

The Sooners bring back one of the best quarterbacks in college football; Spencer Rattler. He will enter his second season as the starter for Oklahoma and should be on the shortlist for the Heisman trophy. Rattler has plenty of weapons in the passing game including star receiver Marvin Mims and tight end Austin Stogner. In addition to the two young playmakers, Jadon Haselwood is returning from a season lost to injury and Theo Wease began to tap into their potential in 2020. Rattler has plenty of options at his disposal in the passing game.

Eric Gray will look to become the primary ball carrier for the offense and if he wins the job, he will benefit from the explosive passing game in Norman. That will be a convenience Gray never enjoyed during his time at Tennessee. To earn the starting job, Gray will have to win it and faces competition from 2019 starter, Kennedy Brooks, who is returning from an injury and sophomore Seth McGowan who showed flashed during his true freshman season in 2020. The competition is stiff, but Gray is a talented runner who will have every opportunity to win the job.

Lincoln Riley has built an excellent program and the Sooners are well set up to compete for a playoff spot in 2021. There are plenty of talented players on offense that can help maintain the standard of offensive excellence in Norman. Gray will be added the running back room and should provide a boost to the ground game that will balance out the offense. Expectations are high for Oklahoma and they just went up with the addition of Gray.

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