Texas longhorn key player Sophomore CJ Baxter was suspended for 3 years resignation letter….
Texas longhorn key player Sophomore CJ Baxter was suspended for 3 years resignation letter….
Given what the last 10 days have brought injury-wise to the University of Texas, it’s a good idea to take a deep breath.
Sophomore CJ Baxter, the Longhorns’ projected No. 1 running back was lost for the season Aug. 6 due to a torn LCL and PCL. After circling the wagons and recalibrating the running back room, freshman Christian Clark tore his Achilles on Monday and is also done for the season.
As we move inside two weeks to the Aug. 31 season-opener vs. Colorado State, Texas is down to three scholarship running backs. Junior Jaydon Blue was going to share duties with Baxter, but will now get the bulk of the work. Sophomore Tre Wisner has not previously been considered an every-down guy, but he is RB2, and another unproven freshman, Jerrick Gibson, rounds out the trio.
Now, go ahead, take that deep breath, because everything can still be OK.
Texas can still get to where it wants to go. In the wake of Clark’s injury, with the last four days to really consider what we’re looking at here, this is where I have landed.
The ceiling for the Longhorns’ regular season remains 12-0.
If Blue carries over his play from late last season and looks like the No. 1 guy everyone thought he was always capable of being, Texas can win something this fall. The margins are exceptionally thin, and that position room cannot absorb another injury, but the point stands. For what it’s worth, the assumption here is Texas is going to scale back how much full tackling it does leading up to Colorado State in favor of more thud tempo. If you simply cannot lose another running back, a good way to accomplish that is to have your guys tackle each other just a little less.
You can win something with Quinn Ewers and this receiving corps. A redshirt junior who began his career at Ohio State, Ewers is entering his third year as the Longhorns’ starter, not to mention his third year with head coach Steve Sarkisian as the offensive play caller. That level of continuity between quarterback and play caller cannot be overlooked if you’re trying to decide how seriously to take Texas.
