While Nick Chubb and Leonard Fournette get a great deal of love as two of the top young running backs in the nation, there is another in Norman, Oklahoma, who would like to throw his name in the hat as well.
After a disappointing 8-5 season last year, the Oklahoma Sooners had one player who was not so disappointing: Samaje Perine.
The freshman running back caught national attention by breaking the single-game rushing yard record, bumping off Melvin Gordon shortly after the 2014 Heisman runner-up claimed it. However, Perine was more than just a transcendent individual game last season. He took Norman by storm and rushed for 1,713 yards and 21 touchdowns.
With a great deal of instability on offense last season for OU, Perine was the main reason the Sooners attained the marginal successes they found.
Now, Perine is ready to show the nation what he is truly capable of in 2015. With a dangerous combination of size and speed, he has both the ability to run over defenders and to run by them as well. With a season under his belt, Perine has the possibility to forge an extremely special campaign.
The only thing that could limit Perine is the new offensive coordinator in Norman. Lincoln Riley has joined the Oklahoma staff, fresh from his success in the “air raid” offense with East Carolina. However, Perine gives Riley a player he has not seen in recent years. The adjustment to Riley’s play calling could be the only thing that will slow down the talented back, who averaged 6.5 yards per carry last season.
Another argument to be made for the claim that Perine is on the verge of a monster season is that he had 263 carries last season and showed himself to be a true workhorse. If he is protected from an added measure of pounding this season, and is fresher as a result, Perine could be even more dangerous than he was last season. Protecting the back and keeping him rested could make for an even stronger campaign.
Along with setting the record against Kansas, Perine also had two other games in which he surpassed the 200-yard mark. Perine strongly closed the 2014 season, with no fewer than 134 yards in his final four games, and over 110 yards in five of his last six games. He also scored 10 touchdowns during that span, which shows that he could be the kind of player who gets stronger when he finds a groove. Oklahoma needs to ride Perine when everything’s working, but then balance that need with downtime in non-essential situations — either when games are out of reach or when the Sooners absolutely have to run a hurry-up offense.
It should be said that Perine has the ability to make the Oklahoma passing game stronger, as he will certainly occupy extra bodies in the box and get plenty of attention. This will create better matchups on the outside and give better looks for Riley’s passing game as well. The Sooners finished 85th in the FBS in passing yards per game last year, and Perine’s threat in the running game should boost that number for sure.
While losing some carries will likely limit Perine’s chances of being a Heisman contender, and while his numbers may not be quite as astronomical as last season, the addition of Riley makes the team much stronger as a whole. The Heisman is nice, but bringing a contender back to Norman is much more important. If utilized correctly, Perine and Riley will do just that.
