When the Oklahoma Sooners bottomed out on offense in 2024, it led to a lot of (needed) change on that side of the ball. Just two seasons later, there aren't many players who remain that were key contributors to that unit.
All of the coordinators and play-callers are now gone; only offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh and wide receivers coach Emmett Jones remain as position coaches, and only a handful of contributors on the field are still in Norman. Players like offensive lineman Heath Ozaeta, tight end Kade McIntyre, wide receivers Jacob Jordan and Ivan Carreon, and running back Xavier Robinson are just about all that's left from that dismal fall on the offensive side of the ball.
Arguably the greatest impact from that small group has come from Robinson,
now the longest-tenured member of the OU running back room. When he was healthy last year, he looked like a player who could really help the Sooners in their quest to run the football better this year. He spoke to the media about his evolution as a leader on Tuesday.
"Being one of the vets, being here for like two years, for me that’s what I have to do," Robinson said via Sooners Illustrated's YouTube page. "That’s my job. I’ve got to be able to give advice, lead, show guys what to do from the experience of being here. That’s what I like doing."
Robinson was banged-up at the end of last season, as was his running mate, Tory Blaylock. Now, Robinson, after missing spring ball, is healthy this fall, and back to help lead the way for the OU ballcarriers.
"I got my teammates who encourage me every day. I got the coaches, who got my back, helping me get through adversity since my surgery," Robinson said. "I’m just glad to be back out with my team."
It's been well-documented that head coach Brent Venables and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle have challenged the OU offense to be more effective running the ball in 2026. Robinson detailed Oklahoma's commitment to making sure they meet that challenge.
"I mean, getting the ball, you got to get downhill, and that’s our job, especially in the SEC," Robinson said. "We got to be able to run the ball, and that’s what we’re committed to."
While he admits he's not the most vocal leader, Robinson said he's growing in his leadership abilities after suddenly becoming one of the leaders of the RB group this offseason.
"I’ve never been the vocal type," Robinson said. "It’s really more showing it. But in the room, I just want to lead and help my guys get better throughout my experiences."
After the way his 2025 season ended, with injuries limiting what he could do, Robinson is excited to prove what he can do this fall.
"Every day, man," Robinson said. "I just want to prove something to myself, prove something to my teammates, stay accountable and be there for my guys."
Perhaps the best thing for the Sooners this year would be Robinson fully taking on the bellcow role in the backfield and flashing more of the high-level play he showed last year in late October and early November. The junior from Carl Albert High School believes he's a much better player now than he was when he showed up to the Switzer Center for that doomed 2024 campaign.
"For me, when you’re a freshman, you’re really just trying to run the ball," Robinson said. "(Now) you’re thinking a lot of stuff out there on the field so it’s more like, you know, looking at the front, seeing who’s out there and the pre-reads, either it’s pass pro, or in the run game and just getting out of those cuts and running."
There's still a lot to be sorted out when it comes to how running backs coach Deland McCullough will divide up the carries among an intriguing group, but if Robinson is healthy, he offers an experienced, talented option that could help OU's offense in a number of ways.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: OU running back Xavier Robinson growing as a leader heading into 2026
