Oklahoma Football: Lincoln Riley’s Running Back Conundrum

Jan 4, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; West running back Joe Mixon (28) runs the ball for a touchdown during U.S. Army All-American Bowl high school football game at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Riley Will Use the Talent in Hand

If anything, the departure of Keith Ford makes Riley’s running back conundrum a bit easier to manage. So, the running back derby will be comprised of Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon, Alex Ross, Daniel Brooks, Rodney Anderson and Anthony Sheppard. Out of that group, Perine, Mixon and Ross will get the majority of the touches.

The key question mark is Mixon: the ballyhooed recruit was expected to instantly become a star until a late night altercation with a woman (whom he foolishly decided to hit) derailed his season before it even started. Now that he’s finally cleared to play, Sooner Nation is eager to see whether or not Mixon will live up to the hype. And if he does, what will that do to Perine’s numbers?

Lincoln Riley is an excellent offensive mind who recognizes what he has in Perine: a powerful running back who can deliver bruising contact in between the tackles but who also has the speed to break away in the open field. So, there’s no reason to believe that Riley won’t adjust his system to ensure Perine gets the bulk of the carries while slowly working in Mixon into the mix.

It may even result in some two back sets where both Mixon and Perine line up in the backfield. If Perine continues to shine and Mixon lives up to the hype, such a duo in the backfiled will surely keep opposing defensive coordinators awake at night.

Next: The Offense Will Take Some Time to Get Up to Full Speed