Happy Hump Day, friends and fans!

The running back position is not what is used to be in today’s NFL, but having a strong ground game is still crucial for fielding a competent offense. SB Nation’s Christian D’Andrea ranked all 32 teams in terms of RB depth, and with OU being RBU, you better believe the Oklahoma Sooners are well represented throughout the list.

Cincinnati checks in at No. 20, and features OU’s Joe Mixon and Rodney Anderson. Then there’s Washington at 24, who boasts Samaje Perine and Adrian Peterson. Finally, Damien Williams is holding it down with Kansas City at 26. Individually, all these players are solid to great, but keep in mind these rankings also have to consider the entire RB room. That more than anything else ultimately determines where they fall in line. However, Joe Mixon led the AFC in rushing yards last season, so perhaps that group should be a bit higher.

Another interesting way to look at these rankings in terms of Oklahoma players is to see how the backfields look for former Sooner QBs. In Cleveland, Baker Mayfield is working with the fourth best stable of tailbacks, while in Arizona, Kyler Murray will have to make due with the 27th (although fantasy monster David Johnson is returning from injury). Every great signal caller needs a decent run game to help lighten the load and keep defenses honest.

Now for today’s Hot Links! Patty Gasso’s program has been built on and around family, Oklahoma makes Zachary Evans’ top five, Chris Paul may have played his final minute with the Rockets and more!

OU Links

• David Kenyon from Bleacher Report predicted the champions and top contenders from each conference, and it should come as no surprise who he picked from the Big 12. Oklahoma runs this place.
• SI’s Andy Staples took a stab at a few of the classic college football games in history that would have sent social media timelines into a tailspin if they happened today. Also, he offers his take on which past QB he would have loved to see in a Lincoln Riley offense.
• From the beginning, Patty Gasso’s focus at Oklahoma has been family, and not just the one she created with the Sooners, but also her own. It took a lot of patience to reach this golden age of the sport, but her two families are now united under the dynastic softball program she’s built. The Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto has more.
• Jake Trotter wrote about the seniors of the 2019 OU softball team. Now in their fourth WCWS, the group is looking to win a third national championship before they wrap up their careers.
• Class of 2020 five-star running back Zachary Evans has narrowed his list of possible destinations to five, and the Oklahoma Sooners made the cut. What’s also interesting is that the Houston product did not list any teams from the state of Texas in his top five...

• Check out Baker Mayfield tossing this dime to Rashard Higgins in the corner of the end zone. Man, that guy can sure spin it.

• Speaking of Mayfield, with the Browns and Cardinals meeting up in Week 15, he says there will definitely be some trash talking between he and Arizona’s Kyler Murray. After growing and learning from each other at Oklahoma, the last two Heisman Trophy winners could throw down in an epic late season clash.

Around the Sports World

• This Bru McCoy transfer saga just keeps taking turns. Now a handful of the shot callers at Texas are reaching out to the talented athlete in his native California in what seems to resemble an NBA free agency pitch. Whatever his reasons have been, it would seem as though his Longhorn brethren would welcome him back despite his indecision.

• The superintendent of the Mount Vernon Independent School District recently spoke about the hiring of Art Briles at a local high school, and of the vetting process he said that it was “one that our community would be proud of.” If that’s actually the case, screw that community.
• Syracuse Football has been on a steady rise under Dino Babers, but have they hit their ceiling, or are they ready to finally contend for an ACC title? Bill Connelly previews the Orange.
• Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has made the entire roster of his team available for trade discussions, including James Harden and Chris Paul. I doubt the Beard will be dealt away, but CP3 could find himself on the block for the right offer.

Stick to Sports!

• If you haven’t seen the 2007 musician biopic parody Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, I’m telling you right now, you don’t want no part of this. It’ll make you laugh, it has great tunes, and you can quote it for days. You seriously don’t want to get yourself mixed up in this. Okay, if you understand the reference I’m making, you’re an awesome person. Here’s an oral history of the film — which over the years is showing why it was so brilliant and ahead of its time — from The Ringer.

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