DeMarco Murray is heading back to the NFL, this time as the Kansas City Chiefs’ new running backs coach. After six seasons on staff at Oklahoma-his alma mater-Murray is trading crimson and cream for red and gold. And while the move might’ve felt inevitable for a former NFL All-Pro, it’s left a ripple effect in Norman that could shape the Sooners’ future, especially on the recruiting trail.
Let’s be clear: Murray’s time at OU was a mixed bag. While fans have reason to question how he developed and utilized talent once players arrived on campus, there’s no denying his ability to identify and land elite recruits.
His name carried weight. Recruits knew who he was, what he’d done in college and the pros, and they bought into the vision he sold.
Now, with Murray gone, the Sooners are staring down a new challenge-keeping that recruiting momentum alive without the guy who helped build it.
OU’s Recruiting Wins Under Murray
Murray didn’t land a running back in the 2021 class, but he more than made up for it in the years that followed. In four of the last five signing classes, he secured at least one top-20 running back prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite. Half of those classes even featured a top-10 back.
The most recent win? Jonathan Hatton Jr., the No. 4 running back in the 2026 class. Murray flipped him from Texas A&M in December-a major recruiting coup that showcased his ability to close big deals late in the cycle.
And the momentum wasn’t slowing down. Oklahoma’s 2027 class, currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, already features two running back commits: Keldrid Ben and Jaxsen Stokes.
Ben is the No. 17 RB in the class, while Stokes-though rated as a three-star-has already reaffirmed his commitment to the Sooners.
“I’m still fully committed to OU. I chose the university and the staff before I did one single person,” Stokes told Rivals shortly after the Murray news broke.
That’s a strong message, especially in a recruiting landscape where coaching changes often lead to mass decommitments. But while Stokes is locked in, Ben hasn’t spoken publicly yet-and his stock has been rising since he gave his verbal to OU. That’s a situation worth monitoring.
The Rhodes Dilemma
Then there’s Micah Rhodes, the top-ranked running back in the 2028 class and Oklahoma’s lone commit for that cycle so far. Rhodes committed just two weeks ago and made it clear that Murray was a major reason for his decision.
After the news broke, Rhodes congratulated Murray on social media-but also posted a string of sad-face emojis that told the real story. It’s early-Rhodes can’t sign for another two years-but keeping him in the fold just got a lot more complicated.
What’s Next for OU?
Murray’s recruiting success was real, but here’s the twist: for all the talent he brought in, very few of those backs made a lasting impact on the field in Norman. None emerged as consistent bellcow backs for more than a season. Tory Blaylock, a 2025 signee, is the only one with a shot to finish his career as a Sooner and potentially change that narrative.
So while Murray’s exit stings from a recruiting standpoint, it also opens the door for a new voice in the running backs room-someone who can not only maintain the talent pipeline but also develop it into something more tangible on Saturdays.
Brent Venables now has a critical hire to make. The next running backs coach has to do more than just win battles on signing day.
They need to turn those wins into production, into touchdowns, into difference-makers. Because if Oklahoma wants to compete at the highest level, especially as they transition into the SEC, they’ll need more than just stars on paper.
They’ll need results.