Samaje Perine is a 3-year Featured Back for Oklahoma. Samaje's 2016 season ranks in the 45th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 206 plays — a average rate for the RB. Production has trended downward season-over-season on adjusted value metrics.
Recruiting data from CFBD/247Sports composite. Sourced from the player's signing-class team — transfers show original school's class.
The centerpiece of the run game — high carry volume, used in early downs and goal-line, true workhorse role.
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2016 | 288 | 0.340 | 3.9 | 97.9 |
| Travis Etienne | Clemson | 2019 | 213 | 0.470 | 4.7 | 100.1 |
| James Flanders | Tulsa | 2016 | 266 | 0.390 | 4.9 | 103.7 |
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2017 | 240 | 0.410 | 5.2 | 98.4 |
| Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 2016 | 292 | 0.340 | 4.3 | 99.3 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsHouston | L23-33 | 10.1 | 6 | 31 | 5.2 | 0 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 0.45 |
| 2 | vsUL Monroe | W59-17 | -21.3 | 10 | 58 | 5.8 | 2 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 0.70 |
| 3 | vsOhio State | L24-45 | 22.4 | 17 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
| Season | Team | Line value | WEPA/play | YoY Δ | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Oklahoma | 6.8 | 0.430 | — | 121.3 |
| 2015 | Oklahoma | 3.7 | 0.320 | -0.11 | 76.8 |
| 2016 | Oklahoma | 3 | 0.340 | +0.02 | 70.7 |
Chart shows per-game EPA (bars) and rolling 5-game average (line). Season breaks marked with dashed lines. Line value = est. points over replacement per game.
Car 17 · Rush Yds 86 · Avg 5.1 · Rush TD 1
| 60 |
| 3.5 |
| 0 |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| -0.17 |
| 5 | @TCU | W52-46 | 11.0 | 17 | 98 | 5.8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.36 |
| 6 | vsTexas | W45-40 | 10.6 | 35 | 214 | 6.1 | 2 | — | — | — | 0.27 |
| 7 | vsKansas State | W38-17 | 8.2 | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 0.82 |
| 11 | vsBaylor | W45-24 | 11.3 | 23 | 100 | 4.3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0.18 |
| 12 | @West Virginia | W56-28 | 11.3 | 31 | 160 | 5.2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0.17 |
| 14 | vsOklahoma State | W38-20 | 16.4 | 37 | 239 | 6.5 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.14 |
| 1 | vsAuburn | W35-19 | 15.3 | 17 | 86 | 5.1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.20 |
