Deland McCullough's Philosophy Flips the Script on How Running Backs Should Work

College football's running back landscape has fundamentally shifted, and Oklahoma's new RB coach Deland McCullough is bringing a philosophy straight out of the modern NFL playbook. The days of one dominant back carrying a team are over, and McCullough's approach proves it works at the highest levels.

Here's the reality: the Heisman Trophy committee hasn't named two running backs as finalists in a season since 2015. Before that, it happened in 2013, 2011, 2009, and 2004. Football has evolved. Look at last year's two Super Bowl teams. The New England Patriots' TreyVeon Henderson carried the ball 180 times, while the other Super Bowl team's Rhamondre Stevenson toted it 130 times. Even championship rosters are moving away from the workhorse model.

The Committee Approach Actually Works

McCullough previously coached running backs at Notre Dame and spent last year in the NFL with the Raiders. He's not here to find one elite back who dominates the workload. Instead, he's teaching a different mindset altogether.

"I was teaching these guys, 'Don't be driven by the extreme numbers,'" McCullough told ESPN. "You can have extreme numbers, but you can have extreme wear-and-tear, too.'"

Oklahoma has leaned on a committee approach for the last three seasons. Two of those years resulted in 10-3 records, and last season landed the Sooners in the College Football Playoff. McCullough figures to continue that two-headed approach. When he was scouting, he wasn't hunting for workhorse backs. He wanted guys who could maximize efficiency on every touch. Fewer carries mean fresher bodies.

Efficiency Over Volume

The Sooners averaged just 3.54 yards per carry last year, ranking 118th out of 136 FBS teams. Tory Blaylock, a rising sophomore, was strong early in the season but struggled late, ceding carries to Xavier Robinson in the second half. Together, along with quarterback John Mateer, they provided OU a rushing attack that made the offense functional, though improvement is needed.

But here's McCullough's take: that improvement probably won't come from one back taking total control. It'll come from better efficiency across the board. He points to Notre Dame's Audric Estime as the proof. Estime put up 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns, yet only played 47 to 48 percent of the offensive snaps.

"They got to sit there and see, 'Wait a minute, this can work,'" McCullough said. "It was put out there for guys to be highly, highly successful and efficient."

That's the new NFL style McCullough is bringing to Norman, and Oklahoma's backfield is about to learn it the right way.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.