Sooners just got hit with some meddling news they’ve been expecting since the middle of the 2025 season
The Sooners will be without running back Jovantae Barnes in 2026 as he’s entered the transfer portal.
Despite having a turnaround season, the Oklahoma Sooners did have a bit of drama that was kept under wraps. Running back Jovantae Barnes, who was assumed to start for 2025 before the season started, hardly played at all. When he returned from injury, he didn’t want to play when OU needed him most, as he wanted to preserve his redshirt status for when he was set to enter the transfer portal after the season.
On Tuesday, Barnes entered the transfer portal, which officially opens on Jan. 2 and closes Jan. 16.
Sooners were hoping for some postseason help from Barnes
When you make the playoff, that postseason game does not count towards your redshirt eligibility. Barnes was concerned about it because it could influence his decision to transfer and still have one more season of eligibility, which could impact team planning.
Running backs Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock were extremely beaten up going into that game against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Head coach Brent Venables was asked whether there was any way Barnes could see the field against Bama, and it appeared there was a way to make it happen.
“Potentially, we will see how that goes,” Venables said.
Barnes didn’t see the field. Now, whether that was because of his decision or the Sooners, we really don’t know. However, they at least considered asking him to play, as they really only had two backs they felt comfortable with going in: Robinson and Blaylock, who were both hurt.
Jaydn Ott was not a player the Sooners had faith in, and Taylor Tatum was pretty hurt. Regardless of Barnes, a player who’s been with the team since 2022, entering the transfer portal, OU has more RBs coming on. There was no way he would see the field in 2026.
Oklahoma thinks it’s getting back Robinson and Blaylock for 2026, and they should. There is reason to believe Tatum could transfer or focus on baseball, and he very well should, given the number of injuries he has taken. Ott will be gone, but OU has four-star RB Jonathan Hatton Jr. and three-star Dezephen Walker coming in.
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