The Football Brainiacs

Player Profile

Position: Running Back

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 207

Class: Junior

Seasons at OU: 2

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev.

Previous School: Desert Pines HS

The Path to Norman

Jovantae Barnes came to OU from Las Vegas. He and the Sooners circled each other from some time, despite offers from about every major program in the country. The former staff wanted to have him at USC, but Coach Venables and his team were able to lock in his commitment not long after arriving. Barnes joined Gavin Sawchuk in one of the best running back classes in the country.

Career so Far

Barnes was a factor in the backfield during his freshman season. Eric Gray led the room, with Barnes second on the team in carries and rushing yards. He played in 11 games and gained lots of experience.

2023 featured one of the oddest seasons for OU running backs in recent memory. Barnes was limited due to injury for parts of the season and saw relatively little action in the games in which he played.

Stats

Years: 2023 | 2022 | Career

Games Played: 8 | 11 | 19

Carries: 37 | 116 | 153

Rush Yards: 140 | 519 | 659

Rush TD: 1 | 5 | 6

Receptions: 5 | 5 | 10

Receiving Yards: 23 | 26 | 49

Stats via Soonersports.com

Highlights

After a quiet 2023, it was hard to pin down what 2024 would look like for Barnes. He went out and had a strong offseason, with frequent mentions of his hard running during practice. This week’s depth chart had Gavin Sawchuk and Barnes as the 1a and 1b running backs in an “or” situation. OU fans are ready to be impressed by the running back room after a lackluster 2023; Barnes looks set to do his part.

This Season