NORMAN — Tory Blaylock made an immediate impact when he arrived on campus last year. But the sophomore running back has yet to earn a high volume of carries in 2026.
Blaylock, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 212 pounds, has rushed for only 45 yards on 17 carries through six games.
It’s no fault of Blaylock’s that he hasn’t been very productive this year. He missed OU’s season opener against UTEP with an injury and has been used sparingly since then.
Blaylock, though, logged a season-high seven carries in Oklahoma’s 21-13 loss to No. 15 Kentucky on Saturday. And he could be gearing up for a more significant role.
“I’m proud of how Tory has battled back from the setback he had early on in the season,” Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said. "And we have to continue to get him going.”
A former 4-star prospect, Blaylock was OU’s leading rusher during his true freshman season.
He finished 2025 with 480 yards and four touchdowns on 120 carries. Blaylock’s most impressive outings came against Temple and South Carolina, as he combined for 201 yards and three touchdowns in those games.
“Coming back from injury early on and getting acclimated back into practice and back in the flow of games, he’s really starting to look like the Tory we all know,” Arbuckle said. “The Tory that we have seen play football before. The Tory who showed up at South Carolina last year. He’s starting to look like that guy again.”
Oklahoma’s run game has struggled throughout the 2026 season.
The Sooners are averaging only 2.8 yards per carry, which ranks last in FBS. They are last in the SEC with 92.5 rushing yards per game — almost 20 yards behind 15th-place Arkansas.
It’s hard to pin these struggles on the ground on Lloyd Avant, Jonathan Hatton Jr. or any of the running backs who have competed for OU. The Sooners’ offensive line has struggled mightily, and to make matters worse, they are dealing with several injuries.
For Oklahoma to have more offensive success, the Sooners must be able to run the ball more efficiently.
And while it’s hard to foresee OU’s offense suddenly becoming one of the SEC’s best, Arbuckle believes that Blaylock, now close to full health, can give the unit a significant boost.
“We have to continue getting really good work from him in practice, really consistent work from him in practice, really tough work from him in practice — that way it translates over to the games,” Arbuckle said.
Oklahoma enters the back half of the 2026 season with a 3-3 record. The Sooners will battle Mississippi State on Saturday, looking to rebound from their eight-point loss to Kentucky in Week 7.
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