Longhorns RB CJ Baxter OUT vs. Wyoming
The No. 4 Texas Longhorns will be without one a key offensive contributors for Saturday's meeting with the Wyoming Cowboys.
The team has ruled out true freshman running back CJ Baxter for Saturday's game due to a foot injury. Baxter exited early in the season opener against the Rice Owls due to a rib injury, but is now dealing with a foot issue that has seemed to carry over from the win in Tuscaloosa against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Longhorns will now rely on Jonathon Brooks, Jaydon Blue and Keilan Robinson in a potential committee-like approach out of the backfield.
© Aaron E. Martinez, USA TODAY
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday that Baxter would be a game-time decision.
“I’m going to need to monitor him up and through pregame," Sarkisian said. "I want to make sure that he’s healthy enough that he can perform, but also so there’s nothing lingering to where he’s trying to take care of himself and he can get injured another way."
Though Baxter has been listed as a co-starter on the depth chart with Brooks, it's the young freshman that's gotten the start in the first two games of the season. Through two games, Baxter has posted 16 carries for 69 yards along with four catches for 21 yards.
A five-star phenom from Orlando, Fla., Baxter became the first Texas running back to start for the Longhorns in the season-opener since Ricky Williams in 1995.
The Longhorns will look to move to 3-0 without Baxter on Saturday at DKR.
