The dream of top 2028 running back Micah Rhodes one day leading the Oklahoma Sooners' backfield suddenly turned into a nightmare after running backs coach DeMarco Murray left Norman, and now, the nightmare is a reality.
Rivals' Hayes Fawcett reported on Wednesday that Rhodes has decommitted from the Sooners in what was an expected move for those who have been paying close attention.
Top 2028 RB Micah Rhodes decommits from Oklahoma as Sooners still suffer from Murray's departure
According to the 247Sports Composite, Rhodes is the No. 28 prospect in the 2028 class as the top running back in the country. He's also the No. 2 player in the state of Texas out of Klein Oak High School.
Last season as a sophomore, Rhodes put up video-game numbers with 1,309 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for 934 yards and 10 scores as a freshman. After both seasons, he was named a MaxPreps All-American and was also invited to the Polynesian Bowl.
Rhodes was a massive early recruiting win for the Sooners as their first commitment from the 2028 class. He announced his decision as a guest on Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson's podcast, "Night Cap," on Jan. 29. However, just two weeks later, his future position coach, Murray, bolted for the NFL to become the Kansas City Chiefs' new running backs coach. Everything went sour from there as Rhodes admitted Murray was the key voice in getting him to OU.
After Murray's move, Rhodes said that he would still visit other schools despite being committed. That comment right there essentially revealed Rhodes was ready to re-open his recruitment, so a looming decommitment was inevitable.
Read more: Sooners facing nightmare recruiting scenario thanks to DeMarco Murray's exit
The Sooners hired Deland McCullough from the Las Vegas Raiders to replace Murray for what seems like an obvious upgrade, but that doesn't mean there will be growing pains, especially on the recruiting trail, where relationships are vital and McCullough has been out of it for a year after previously coaching at Notre Dame.
So far, Rhodes is the only running back pledge the Sooners have lost because of Murray's move. Four-star Keldrid Ben and three-star Jaxsen Stokes are still committed to the Sooners' No. 1 2027 recruiting class and don't appear to be going anywhere.
This latest news also doesn't guarantee Rhodes won't actually be a Sooner. Fans can't blame a kid for changing his mind after his position coach disappeared. Murray, though, can't drag Rhodes anywhere else with him, so the Sooners still have an advantage over most other programs.