NORMAN - Oklahoma’s running backs room is getting a different kind of credibility under Deland McCullough.
The Sooners brought in a coach whose résumé already carries weight: stops at Notre Dame, Indiana and USC, plus time coaching running backs for the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. Along the way, McCullough has worked with backs such as Ashton Jeanty, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, and now he’s trying to turn a room that has been quiet in recent seasons into a real strength.
OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle believes that kind of presence changes the standard immediately.
“I think Coach McCullough has all the expertise to give it to them and hold them to a certain standard of how we expect to play running back here at Oklahoma,” Arbuckle said. “Everything that the running back room requires, excited to watch that entire room continue to grow and excited with the expertise and level of detail that Coach McCullough brings to those guys.”
For the backs themselves, the appeal is obvious. Junior Xavier Robinson said McCullough’s approach shows up in the details.
“He’s very detailed,” Robinson said. “He’s a technician when it comes to the run game, and it stands out. He’s helped me and a lot of guys in the room, and you can see that.”
Robinson and sophomore Tory Blaylock are the most experienced players in the group heading into 2026. Blaylock led the Sooners with 480 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 2025, while Robinson finished with 421 yards and four touchdowns. Robinson spent his first two seasons working under DeMarco Murray, who is now the Kansas City Chiefs’ running backs coach, and he’s already seen enough of McCullough to believe the next step is coming.
There’s also a different kind of story in the room with junior Andy Bass, who has yet to play a college snap. Bass tore his ACL during his senior year of high school, then suffered another torn ACL before the 2025 season. Now healthy, he says McCullough has played a major role in getting him ready to actually contribute.
“He’s been here ever since I got healthy. He wasn’t around when I was injured, so being able to play the whole time he’s been here has been helpful.
“He’s got the expertise that any running back would need. You just look at the records and everything he’s coached, all the good players he’s coached… playing for him is an absolute privilege.”
What Oklahoma does with the backfield in 2026 is still up in the air. The Sooners kept Robinson, Blaylock and Bass after the 2025 season, and both Robinson and Blaylock bring real familiarity with Arbuckle’s offense. They also added four newcomers to the position group: freshmen Jonathan Hatton Jr. and DeZephen Walker, along with transfers Lloyd Avant and Ben McCreary.
No matter how the carries shake out, John Mateer expects the run game to ease some of the burden on him, and he credits McCullough for setting that up.
“I think Coach McCullough has done a great job with the detail and intent of what you need to do as a running back and the protections in the run schemes,” Mateer said. “They're all in a good spot.”
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