When Oklahoma made a splash late in the transfer portal cycle by adding former California star running back Jaydn Ott during the spring window, it came with the expectation that the No. 50 overall player in the 247Sports transfer rankings would make an immediate impact.
However, on OU’s initial depth chart, Ott was listed as the third-string running back behind Jovantae Barnes and Tory Blaylock. In his debut at Oklahoma last weekend, Ott logged just four snaps during his team’s 35-3 win over Illinois State. He rushed one time for minus-3 yards and was targeted once in the passing game by quarterback John Mateer but it was incomplete.
Ott was limited during fall camp after sustaining a shoulder injury, but is expected to be a “big part” of OU’s game plan moving forward, according to coach Brent Venables.
“He is one of the more explosive players in college football,” Venables told reporters Tuesday. “He was banged up last year and was banged up in camp. He looks to be close to 100%. When he’s at his best, we have all seen of people that know his journey, what he’s capable of. He’s a real weapon. He will play a real factor in our season going forward. … we are going to need him.”
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Ott was limited to 10 games during the 2024 season after suffering an ankle injury against UC Davis in Cal’s season-opener that lingered throughout the remainder of the year. He finished the 2024 campaign with 385 rushing yards and four touchdowns after averaging 109.5 yards per game during his breakout season in 2023.
Getting Ott back to 100% would be a good sign for an Oklahoma team that ranked 11th in the SEC in rushing yards per game (155.2) last season. The Sooners racked up 103 yards rushing against Illinois State, with Blaylock finishing as the team’s leading rusher with 44 yards.
Ott and Oklahoma face a stout Michigan run defense on Saturday that allowed just 50 yards (1.8 yards per carry) during its season-opener against New Mexico. Oklahoma is set to face Michigan for just the second time, and the first since the Sooners defeated the Wolverines, 14-6, in the 1976 Orange Bowl.
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