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Gray has wowed during his senior season with his game-changing, play-making ability with jaw-dropping changes of direction and a newly found ability to run through defenders. The breakout season has been a magnification of his commitment and has rewarded an incredible amount of hard work and persistence.

In his first season with Oklahoma, after transferring from Tennessee, Gray did not have the results or impact he envisioned. The path was not easy but, in the end, it has been worth it for Eric Gray.

“I think last year I had some things to do mentally with my game that I over came this year,” Gray said. “That has allowed me to play as well as I have.”

THE PATH TO OKLAHOMA

Coming out of high school, Gray was the fourth-ranked all-purpose back in the nation and fifth-ranked prospect in Tennessee. Gray became the first-ever, three-time Mr. Football Award winner in the state of Tennessee and was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in the state during a re cord-setting career at Memphis’ Lausanne Collegiate School.

He scored 138 total touchdowns and rushed for 7,901 yards, wowing college coaches all over the country. He was rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports, where he was ranked the No. 99 overall player, No. 2 all-purpose back and No. 2 player from the state of Tennessee in the 2019 class.

With his choice of colleges, Gray had originally committed to Michigan, but reopened his recruitment and decided to go to Tennessee.

As soon as Gray stepped on the Tennessee campus in Knoxville, he made an impact. Gray rushed for a Tennessee freshman record 246 yards and three touchdowns in the Vols’ 2019 regular-season finale against Vanderbilt. He then had 86 yards and a touchdown in their 2020 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl win over Indiana, earning game MVP honors.

As the No. 1 back during his sophomore season, he led the Volunteers in rush ing with 772 yards and four touchdowns on 157 attempts during nine games. But after his second season in Knoxville, a coaching change was made, and rumors of NCAA violations swirled around the Tennessee program. In fact, Gray was held out of the Tennessee season as an investigation was made into potential NCAA violations. While Gray was never connected to any violations, Tennessee eventually fired head coach Jeremy Pruitt. Gray decided his best path was to leave Tennessee. He elected to transfer on Jan. 20, 2021.

“Vol Nation - I love you guys,” Gray tweeted. “You have been unbelievably supportive. Tennessee will forever be my home. You are the best fans in the country, and I just want to say THANK YOU for giving the young kid out of Memphis an opportunity to play at the next level. You are my FAMILY.”

The Memphis native finished his Vols career with 1,311 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns (eight rushing, three receiving). Now, Gray was ready to take his talents to another Power 5 program at the University of Oklahoma.

“I kind of knew from the jump that this was the place I wanted to come to,” Gray said. “Looking at the past years, you see how great the offense is. I saw how great I could fit into the offense.”

Gray was the third Tennessee transfer to join the Soon ers program during the offseason prior to the 2021 sea son. Gray followed offensive lineman Wanya Morris and defensive back Key Lawrence, who also picked Oklaho ma after entering the transfer portal during what was a forgettable offseason in Knoxville.

“We all didn’t even talk about it, it’s kind of just hap pened,” Gray said of rumors that the exile to Norman was coordinated. “It was definitely not planned. It was a coincidence for everybody just to come here.”

Now, Gray was ready for a fresh start in Norman and an opportunity to play for one of the most electric offenses in college football.

A FRUSTRATING FIRST SEASON

The initial impression of Gray in a Sooner uniform was an impressive one. In the 2021 spring game, Gray show cased his change of direction, leaving a Sooner defender in the dust and scoring a touchdown on one of his four carries.

It looked as if the Tennessee transfer who left Knoxville looking to play a key role was going to accomplish his goal. But, as the season progressed, his role seemed to diminish. Instead of being a go-to back, Gray was more of a change of pace back behind Kennedy Brooks.

“You can either look at it as an obstacle,’” said Gray. “Or you can look at it as an opportunity. You must make the best of your decision and ultimately you must go out there and dominate when you can.”

Gray finished the year with 412 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 78 carries. He finished the season third on the team in rushing yards, but Gray expected more.

“As a player… when things don’t go your way, you think about, ‘How can I get better?’” Gray said. “I think last year was just a way for me to get better. I think last sea son was a steppingstone for me and my growth to get ting better physically and mentally.”

REMEMBER THE ALAMO… BOWL

No play magnified the frustration of 2021 more for Gray than a late-game mistake against Oklahoma State. His fourth-quarter muffed punt at the OU 5-yard line in a Bedlam loss to Oklahoma State switched momentum and sparked the Cowboys’ victory.

With the frustration of the loss still fresh, then Sooner head coach Lincoln Riley decided just hours after the gut-wrenching loss to take the head coaching job at USC. Gray was left to ponder what his next step would betest the waters of the NFL, potentially look at transfer ring again or stay in Norman and make an impact with the new coach, whomever that might end up being. “When Lincoln (Riley) left, it put everybody in a bind,” Gray said. “DeMarco’s the reason I came, to be able to learn from a great, from somebody that played at that level I want to go to.”

Gray set an immediate goal to rebound from the poor play late in the season and start fresh during bowl preparation in hopes that a renewed focus would car ry into his senior season. In the Alamo Bowl with Bob Stoops coaching the team, Gray did just that.

In the win over Oregon, Gray ended with 127 total yards (including a season-long 48-yard run) to close his season on a high note and set a tone for 2022.

“As a player, you have those ups and downs. It’s not how many times you fall, it’s how many times you get up,” Gray said. “If you keep going and you keep driving, you have no choice but to be the best.

“Like my dad always says, you can’t keep a good man down long.”

MAKING HIS MARK

Gray had made a commitment to make the most of his 2022 season. With the hiring of Brent Venables and re tention of DeMarco Murray, Gray took on a leadership role, catching the eye of the new head coach during off-season preparation.

“Eric’s been a pro,” Venables said. “From the moment that we got here, he’s been the model of what it looks like. Eric’s been a great competitor. He always has this positive, matter-of-fact quality to him. It’s fun to watch that happen.”

Despite the struggles on the field for the Sooners, Gray has been one of the bright spots. He has been consis tent; it all comes from his work ethic and desire to be the best he can be.

“The best players individually or teams collectively have a routine,” Running back coach DeMarco Mur ray said. “At the beginning of the season, you’re fresher. You may not want to do those little things, but Eric has been a consistent player doing everything he can do to make sure he is healthy and successful and that plays a lot into the success that he is having.”

As the Sooners looked to right the ship after a 3-game losing streak, they turned to Gray to help change the momentum. In a must-win game against the Kansas Jayhawks, who came into a game in Norman ranked for the first time ever when the Sooners were unranked, Gray unleashed his best performance.

Gray carried 20 times for 176 yards and added a pair of touchdowns in the most productive rushing per formance of his OU career. The Sooners beat Kansas 52-42 as Gray had a career day to end the mid-season skid. All totaled Gray averaged 8.8 yards per carry. He powered a Sooners rushing attack that went for a sea son-high 298 yards and helped Oklahoma return to the win column for the first time in almost a month.

“I ultimately think that all of our guys in the room stepped up to that challenge in practice,” Gray said. “DeMarco talked about the Kansas week as our best week of practice as a running back room, and I think it showed today. Big props to the O-line for getting me to the second level. It was great.”

When the Sooners hit the road for a showdown with Iowa State in Ames, Gray shined even while battling in juries. Against the top rushing defense in the Big 12, the Oklahoma Sooners’ top running back finished the day with 23 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and added eight receptions for 58 yards. The 31 touches were the second most he’d logged in a game and the most since he had 34 against Arkansas back in 2020 for the Tennessee Volunteers. It also came after Gray had spent three offensive series in the injury tent.

His toughness and physicality have found another level this season in leading the Oklahoma rushing attack and offense.

“He has been more physical, added some weight and has done a great job not only in the passing game, blocking game, but running the ball in between the tackles and in space making guys miss,” DeMarco Murray said of Gray. “He’s done a great job leading our group, being a leader offensively and on this team.”

THE FUTURE

Eric Gray did not find himself getting too caught up in the NIL world in the offseason. In fact, Gray even turned down opportunities so he could stay laser fo cused on his senior season. A decision that has paid off as NFL scouts are taking notice.

Gray is likely headed to the Senior Bowl and is showing up all over NFL Mock Drafts and media draft boards. Gray “just missed” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper’s top 10 in the running backs category. NFL Draft Buzz proj ects Gray as the No. 8 running back prospect for 2023 and has him going in the third round of the NFL Draft.

The next level is important, but Gray is staying focused on the present.

“He’s concentrated and worried about this season but individually you have goals to play on Sunday,” Murray said. “I respect that, but he is the ultimate teammate and he’s putting this season first.”

The 2022 Oklahoma Sooner football season has not been what anyone expected. Through the challenges and the frustrations, Brent Venables has needed players like Eric Gray to buy in and put in the work. The payoff for Oklahoma was wins in 2022, but the payoff for the future of the program is invaluable.

“We have young guys that have a bright future,” Mur ray said. “They are following that same regiment with the example laid out in front of them that will help them to trend towards the direction that Eric Gray has taken. He has been huge for the future of this program.” BSM