100 Days to Football Time in Oklahoma 2024: #20 Sam Franklin By: Ryan Lewis Posted on: August 10, 2024

Player Profile

Position: Running Back

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 198

Class: Redshirt Junior

Seasons at OU: 0

Hometown: Little Rock, Ark.

Previous School: Univ. of Tennessee-Martin

The Path to Norman

Sam Franklin spent three years in college football before heading to Oklahoma. A running back out of Arkansas, Franklin played for three seasons with UT-Martin. His 2023 season was a standout year, with almost 1,400 yards. After that, he entered the transfer portal. Offers came from USC, South Carolina, and Texas Tech, among others, but the Sooners got the commit.

Career so Far

Franklin took a redshirt season in 2021, playing in two games.

In 2022, Franklin played in all 11 games. He earned Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and was an asset in the backfield and on kick return.

The 2023 season was a big year for the back. Franklin ran for almost 1,400 yards at 6.2 yards per carry, logging seven 100-yard games and two 200-yard games. He was named a Walter Payton Award finalist and earned second-team FCS All-American honors.

Stats

Years: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | Career

Games Played: 11 | 11 | 2 | 24

Carries: 223 | 85 | 7 | 315

Rush Yards: 1378 | 676 | 67 | 2121

Rush TD: 11 | 8 | 1 | 20

Receptions: 13 | 11 | 1 | 25

Receiving Yards: 129 | 49 | 2 | 180

Receiving TD: 1 | 0 | 0 | 1

Stats via Soonersports.com

Highlights

This Season

Franklin walks into a running back room looking to impress after a forgettable 2023 season. Gavin Sawchuk is the clear number one, with Jovantae Barnes, Franklin, and several freshmen all pushing for snaps. Franklin has shown the potential to contribute this offseason and will certainly have a role this year.