Steve Sarkisian Confirms Trevor Goosby's Status Ahead of Season Opener

Texas will have one of its most important offensive linemen available for Saturday’s season opener against Texas State, but the Longhorns still have a plan in place to manage his workload.

Senior left tackle Trevor Goosby has been cleared to play after missing roughly two weeks of practice with a bone bruise in his knee, head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed Thursday. The preseason All-American returned to practice Monday and steadily increased his workload throughout the week.

But now Texas has a decision to make when it comes to distributing snaps at left tackle as Goosby returns.

Texas Has a Plan for Trevor Goosby and Andre Cojoe

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Trevor Goosby (74) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Sarkisian said the focus throughout the week was not only on Goosby’s physical readiness but also on getting him back into the rhythm and physicality required to play offensive line.

“It was about him getting back out to practice. I thought he had a really good practice on Monday. We increased his workload on Tuesday. He had a really good practice Tuesday, came back good. We increased his workload Wednesday, he looked good again. We increased his workload even more today, looked good again. So he's kind of been building throughout the week,” Sarkisian said.

The biggest question now may not be whether Goosby can play, but how much he can handle once the game begins.

Texas is expecting temperatures to reach 96 degrees Saturday in Austin, creating another variable for a player who has only recently returned to practice. Sarkisian said the Longhorns will monitor Goosby’s conditioning closely to make sure fatigue does not prevent him from playing at his normal level.

That could open the door for senior tackle Andre Cojoe to receive a meaningful number of snaps at left tackle.

Cojoe has filled in for Goosby during his absence and has impressed Texas throughout preseason camp. While Goosby remains the starter, Sarkisian made it clear that Cojoe has earned the opportunity to contribute regardless of how the game unfolds.

“I do think Andre's had a great camp, and Andre deserves his opportunities to play as well,” Sarkisian said.

That gives Texas some flexibility heading into its opener. Rather than forcing Goosby to shoulder a full workload immediately after returning from injury, the Longhorns can rely on Cojoe if the veteran tackle begins to tire in the heat.

The approach also allows Texas to get Goosby back into game action without unnecessarily pushing him, particularly with No. 1 Ohio State waiting in Week 2.

Goosby is ready to play, but the Longhorns have another experienced option ready to step in when needed. Cojoe’s strong camp has given Sarkisian the luxury of managing Goosby’s return without leaving the offensive line exposed.

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