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Oklahoma football: Tennessee pipeline sends a talented RB Sooners’ way

By Chip Rouse

Dec 5, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Eric Gray (3) runs with the ball against the Florida Gators during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Eric Gray (3) runs with the ball against the Florida Gators during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Tennessee-OU highway remains open and has delivered yet another talent player to the Oklahoma football program.

The latest Tennessee player to announce he is transferring to Oklahoma is running back Eric Gray.

Gray’s announcement came on the same day that Tennessee was introducing its new head coach, Josh Heupel.

Gray rushed for a team-best 772 yards and four touchdowns in his sophomore season for the Volunteers this past fall. He is an all-purpose back who also caught 30 passes in the 2020 season, two of which were for touchdowns. His 772 rushing yards was eighth best in the SEC this past season.

The former four-star prospect out of Memphis Tennessee will have an opportunity to have an immediate impact for the Sooners next season, joining running backs Kennedy Brooks, Seth McGowan and Marcus Major on the OU depth chart. His arrival comes at a good time with Oklahoma losing Rhamondre Stevenson, the team’s No, 1 running back in 2020, to the NFL Draft.

Additionally, the Sooners’ No. 2 running back last season, T.J. Pledger, announced he was transferring to Utah

Gray is the third Tennessee Volunteer in the past two weeks to announce he is transferring to Oklahoma. He joins former five-star offensive lineman Wanya Morris and four-star defensive back Key Lawrence, who previously announced that they would be continuing their college career at OU.

Gray originally committed to Michigan before signing on with Tennessee as a member of the Vols’ 2019 recruiting class. Rivals rated him as the No. 7 running back nationally.

As many as 14 Volunteer players have entered the transfer portal since the firing of head coach Jeremy Pruitt.

The ironic twist of this situation is that three Tennessee players are leaving the program to come to Oklahoma at the same time Heupel, a former OU player and offensive coordinator, is coming on board as the new Tennessee head coach. Heupel was quarterback of the Sooners’ 2000 national championship team and was Heisman runner-up that same season.

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