Spencer Rattler had a slow start to the limited 2020 season. After the Jalen Hurts departure, the former five-star prospect came into the year with a ton of hype.

Two recent Oklahoma quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, won the Heisman, and Jalen Hurts was named the runner up in 2019. So some naturally assumed that the ultra-talented Rattler would set college football on fire.

The redshirt freshman did have a great season, but it took a little while to get going. First off, he completed 67.5 percent of his 317 pass attempts. He also averaged 275.5 yards per game while throwing 28 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.

The Sooners finished 9-2 with yet another top-10 finish, but now it's time for another College Football Playoff push.

Rattler has weapons returning from injures and suspensions, plus more talent is coming in the 2021 recruiting class. But it isn't just about the passing game. The run game will need to be effective as well.

Rhomondre Stevenson is gone, but there's still a deep stable of runners in Norman.

Kennedy Brooks, who produced back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019, will return after opting out in 2020. There's also Seth McGowan, who is oozing with potential after totaling 571 yards (370 rushing, 201 receiving) and four scores as a freshman.

Now Tennessee transfer Eric Gray is in the mix as well. He totaled 1,680 yards and 11 scores over his last two seasons in Knoxville, including over 1,000 total yards in 2020. Add in Marcus Major and Mikey Henderson, and this group is rock solid.

"It’s good to have KB back," Rattler said, via Sooners Wire. "Not having him this past year, having him back is just, it’s just nice to have him back. He’s a vet, knows everything, definitely is a leader in that group.

"Running backs are very deep this year with KB, Eric Gray, Marcus Major, Seth (McGowan), Mikey (Henderson), got a lot of guys at that position this year so KB being the oldest of them all, he’s definitely leading the way."

Rattler spoke specifically about McGowan, a highly-recruited four-star coming out of Poteet High School in Texas.

"From what I’ve seen from Seth, he’s getting bigger, stronger, and faster," Rattler said. "Dude is throwing up crazy numbers in the weight room as usual, running fast times, running big plays, catching the ball, he’s doing everything out of the backfield. Also when we kick him out to empty formations and stuff like that, he’s just a tool you could use to exploit the defense in many ways. He’s been a great weapon for us so far this spring."

There have been a lot of talented running backs come out of Oklahoma since Lincoln Riley succeeded Bob Stoops as head coach in 2015: Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon, Rodney Anderson and even Trey Sermon for a time.

This might be the program's deepest group yet, however. There could be three or four guys making an impact carrying or catching the football in this backfield. That's great news for Rattler and the passing game.

Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.

Seth McGowan

Spencer Rattler Excited To See Depth With Sooners Running Back Group