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Perine stands to be OU's most important player, ultimate safety net
Imagine the stress levels of the Oklahoma coaching staff if Samaje Perine had not busted onto the scene in record-shattering fashion as a freshman last season.
Entering 2015, the 5-foot-11, 237-pound wrecking ball of a running back is at once the Sooners' most important player and, if all else fails, one heck of a safety net.
After last season's confounding inconsistency on offense, coach Bob Stoops fired his former quarterback and offensive coordinator Josh Heupel and replaced him with 31-year-old hot shot Lincoln Riley, who is bringing back more of an Air Raid attack.
If OU can get anything resembling a downfield passing game going, Perine should be the benefactor of defenses playing back on their heels.
And if the Sooners again struggle in that area, Perine, as he showed last season with more than 1,700 rushing yards -- averaging a whopping 6.5 yards per carry -- and 21 touchdowns, is capable of carrying a heavy load. His 427 rushing yards against Kansas set the NCAA mark for most yards in a single game.
Riley, since his arrival, has trumpeted Perine as a key component in his Air Raid scheme.
As Justin hite of Sooners Illustrated wrote: "There is no doubt that new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley understands the weapon he has in the backfield. Perine’s total from last year nearly eclipsed East Carolina's total yardage in two of the past three years. Perine finishes the season with more than 1,000 yards and possibly 15 touchdowns when all is said and done, though. It’s not the number of yards he gains this season but the importance of those yards that makes the difference."
There's also less depth than last year behind Perine with Keith Ford having transferred to Texas A&M and Joe Mixon coming in with no experience after sitting out all of last season due to a suspension.
While a revitalized passing game will certainly aid Perine, it could be argued that the threat Perine provides out of the backfield will do wonders for a more imaginative passing game, no matter which quarterback, Trevor Knight or Baker Mayfield wins the starting job.
Yet if all else fails with the passing game, the Sooners know they've got the Big 12's most powerful workhorse who can dominate a game.
It at least allows Stoops and his staff to rest a little easier.
(h/t Sooners Illustrated)
Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
