Oklahoma football: Kennedy Brooks ready to really rock ‘n’ roll in 2019
By Chip Rouse
If you liked what you saw from Oklahoma running back Kennedy Brooks last season, get ready for what could — er, should — be an even better 2019.
Brooks began last season as the third or fourth running back on the depth chart, but finished the season with 1,056 rushing yards to lead all the Sooner RBs.
That’s an impressive season total by any measure, but in Brooks’ case, he did so gaining all but 51 yards in the final eight games of the season. That’s an average of 125 yards per game over the final eight.
The redshirt junior saw only limited action early in the season a year ago. Rodney Anderson began the 2018 season as the No. 1 running back, but went down with a season-ending knee injury in OU’s second game of the year against UCLA. Sophomore Trey Sermon and quarterback Kyler Murray handled all of the ground duties for the next few games.
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Brooks patiently waited his chance, and it came in Game 5 at home against Baylor. The 5-foot, 11-inch running back from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area had actually been waiting for his chance longer than the first five game last season. He suffered a preseason shoulder injury his freshman season that kept him out that entire first year.
Brooks’ number was called in the Baylor game, and he was ready, taking full advantage of the opportunity, He gained 107 yards on eight carries, including two rushing touchdowns in a 66-33 Oklahoma win.
Little did anyone know — except for Brooks and his teammates, of course — he was just getting started. In three of his final five games last season, he exceeded 165 rushing yards. He had 165 yards on the ground, averaged 11 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns in a pivotal 48-47 win over in-state rival Oklahoma State, and a season high 182 rushing yards and a touchdown in a game the Sooners had to have at West Virginia to earn a spot in the Big 12 Championship and a rematch with Texas.
Asked by the OU Daily, the Oklahoma student newspaper, if he was surprised by Brooks’ performance last season, All-Big 12 wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said:
"“Not al all…He’s been doing it since he got here, and now that he has the time to shine, he’s gonna use it.”"
The Sooner running back room is loaded with talent again this coming season. Expect Brooks to get plenty of time to shine this fall and continue to create havoc on the ground for opposing defenses.