Could Duo of Longhorn RB's Cedric Baxter and Tre Wisner Earn Playing Time As Freshmen?
The Texas Longhorns have boasted some of the best running backs in college football history, from legends such as Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams to recent greats such as Bijan Robinson.
Robinson, who won the Doak Walker, is off to the NFL after declaring for the draft and forgoing his senior year. Also making his way to the NFL will be Roschon Johnson, which means Texas will need to replace two talented backs next season.
As it currently stands, the duo of Jonathon Brooks and Jaydon Blue have shown they can hold it down for the Longhorns at the running back position.
However, the Longhorns added a pair of talented running backs on early signing day in Cedric Baxter and Tre Wisner. Steve Sarkisian believes both backs could earn playing time early on, comparing them to Reggie Bush and LenDale White who played as true freshmen at USC.
“I think freshmen can come in and play the running back position," Sarkisian said. "You don’t want the same runner every year. We’re always trying to find — if we’re going to take two, how do they balance each other out?”
Baxter has flashed the talent to start from day one, and over his last two seasons recorded 376 carries for 3,093 yards and 41 touchdowns. Not to be left out, Wisner recorded 1,704 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on 200 carries.
The two backs offer two different elements, with Baxter sporting a 6-1, 215-pound frame while Wisner comes in at 5-11 and 180 pounds, as the combination of the two offers Steve Sarkisian and his staff the prototypical lightning and thunder backfield duo.
Whether or not one of Baxter or Wisner supplants Brooks or Blue on the depth chart is, of course, yet to be seen. That being said, Texas is in an excellent position in the running back room despite losing two talented backs in Robinson and Johnson.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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