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Oklahoma running back Rodney Anderson to miss rest of season with knee injury

Oklahoma’s Rodney Anderson was one of the top running back prospects in the country this season. (AP Photo)
Oklahoma’s Rodney Anderson was one of the top running back prospects in the country this season. (AP Photo)

The Oklahoma Sooners received a piece of devastating news Sunday, as the team announced that starting running back Rodney Anderson will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Anderson left the Sooners’ game against UCLA on Saturday with an apparent right leg injury, which was diagnosed a day later as season-ending. Anderson had 19 rushing yards and a touchdown on six rushes at that point.

Oklahoma loses a major RB talent

A preseason All-Big 12 selection and possible Heisman Trophy candidate, Anderson rushed for 1,161 yards on 188 attempts last season, scoring 13 touchdowns for a powerful Oklahoma offense that won the Big 12 reached the College Football Playoff. He also threw in 281 receiving yards and five touchdowns through the air.

With Anderson and Kyler Murray at the controls, Oklahoma had again been looking like one of the most dangerous teams in the country after opening its season with a 63-14 blowout of Florida Atlantic and 49-21 stomping of UCLA. Losing one of the top running backs in the country is an obvious blow made even more disheartening by Anderson’s injury history.

Rodney Anderson’s third season-ending injury

A four-star recruit of high school, Anderson saw two games of action during his freshman year before suffering a broken leg, which ended his season. Then he went into camp the next year and suffered a neck injury that kept him out for the entire season.

Anderson finally saw the field for extended action last season and blossomed into a 1,000-yard rusher. He earned a second-team All-Big 12 selection and was slated to be one of the top running back prospects in the country this offseason, but that potential has again been lost.

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