Steve Sarkisian Reveals Major Texas Longhorns Injury News Ahead Of Georgia Showdown

The Texas Longhorns got some major news on the injury front ahead of their primetime tilt with the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night.

And it couldn't have come at a better time.

According to Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, not one, not two, but all three stars Texas was were out of action vs. the Vanderbilt Commodores - Michael Taaffe, Jelani McDonald, and Ryan Wingo - practice on Monday and will be ready to go vs. the Bulldogs.

Sark Shares Great News on Star Trio

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning and defensive back Michael Taaffe celebrate after Manning ran for a touchdown | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

"Those guys practiced this morning. Look great," Sarkisian said of the trio. "I don't foresee any setbacks there. So feel good about that."

Taaffe suffered his thumb injury in the team's overtime win against the Kentucky Wildcats last month, undergoing surgery after the 16-13 win.

McDonald and Wingo, on the other hand, were both injured during the matchup with the Commodores. Wingo suffered a dislocated thumb on his second catch of the game and was forced to miss the remainder of the contest, while McDonald suffered a concussion midway through the game.

Why The Return Of The Safeties Matters

Texas Longhorns defensive backs Jelani McDonald and Michael Taaffe make a tackle. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Without Wingo in the lineup vs. Vanderbilt, the Longhorns' passing game was surprisingly still able to thrive, thanks in large part to his two early catches, the first of which went for a score, with the second going for a first down and a big gain.

However, without either of the star safety duo on the field, the Longhorns were struggling to say the least to stop the pass.

Before the injury, Taaffe played in five games and racked up 51 tackles (28 solo), a sack, and an interception. The Longhorns also ranked as one of the top passing defenses in the SEC following his last outing.

With Taaffe out vs. Mississippi State, the Longhorns allowed a staggering 382 yards and five touchdowns through the air to Blake Shapen. Against Vanderbilt, those struggles continued, with Texas allowing 365 yards and three touchdowns passing and three touchdowns to Diego Pavia - the majority of which came after the exit of McDonald and in the fourth quarter comeback attempt.

As a result, As a result of just those two games alone, Texas now ranks 12th in the SEC and 96th in the country in terms of yards allowed per game. Not to mention those two outings, the Horns allowed 16 explosive plays vs. the Commodores and 10 to the Commodores.

And with Georgia QB Gunner Stockton coming into the game off of the back of three-straight dominant performances through the air, the Horns are going to need both Taaffe and McDonald to be back to their best on Saturday.