Texas Longhorns Put Faith In CJ Baxter As New Top Tailback For Remainder Of Season
Steve Sarkisian has faith that CJ Baxter can carry the load as the Texas Longhorns new lead running back for the remainder of the season, but the loss of Jonathon Brooks still lingers on his mind.
Brooks, the breakout star of the No. 7 Longhorns' offense in place of Doak Walker Award winner Bijan Robinson, will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL Saturday in a 29-26 win over TCU. Texas now must find a way to keep pace on the ground without perhaps its most reliable weapon.
"Losing Jonathon for the season is a tough blow for us," Sarkisian said Monday during his weekly press conference. "One thing that probably stings the most for us and the team is the teammate that Jonathon Brooks is. He's a better person than he is a football player — and he's a heck of a football player."
Brooks, a native of Hallettsville, was dependable in a pinch. His bulldozing demeanor set the tone of early downs and paved a path for Texas (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) to force its way deep into enemy territory.
Consistency was perhaps Brooks' top asset. Since Week 3, the redshirt sophomore has straight games with at least 98 rushing yards, including a 218-yard performance against Kansas in Week 5.
Running was one strength to Brooks' bag of tricks, but his hands served as a security blanket for both Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy. He totaled 25 catches for 286 yards and one touchdown, including taking a screen pass 73 yards to set up a score Saturday during the first quarter against the Horned Frogs.
"He's a great runner, he can pass protect, he's a weapon out of the backfield catching the ball, so naturally that creates a void, but that also creates an opportunity," said Sarkisian.
Jonathon Brooks vs. the TCU Horned Frogs
Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman-USA TODAY NETWORK
That opportunity comes in the form of more reps for Baxter, who initially started the first two games against Rice and Alabama. A five-star freshman from Florida, Baxter rotated with Jaydon Blue and Keilan Robinson, averaging 4.5 yards per run on 87 carries.
Sarkisian said the offensive game plan won't change; only the rep counts. Baxter is expected to see a majority of the reps and continue to keep the run game rolling behind a stout offensive line.
That might hold the key to personnel packaging. The Longhorns have rushed for at least 140 yards and two touchdowns over their past four games and averaged 4.5 yards per run. Baxter has also been one of the best secondary running backs in the country this season and continues to build rapport with the offense.
"One thing about CJ is you learn about a young man in recruiting, he's a really mature young man, he sees the world — in today's society with young people who are the five-star recruits coming out that it's all about me, me, me and how can I get this and how can I get that? He was never that way," Sarkisian said of Baxter. "He was about opportunity, he was about style of offense and scheme, and I think that's where we fit."
A foot injury derailed Baxter's production early in the season. He was limited against Alabama and did not play in Week 3's win over Wyoming.
Fully healthy, the Longhorns look to clinch their spot in the Big 12 title game for the first time since 2018 with a road win over Iowa State this Saturday at 7 p.m. While Texas will be without its star runner, it does have Ewers back under center following his two-game hiatus with a shoulder injury.
Ewers threw for 305 yards and a touchdown in his debut. After nearly blowing a 26-6 lead in the fourth quarter, Ewers connected with Adonai Mitchell for a 35-yard gain on a 3rd-and-12 to ice the game.
Standing in the backfield was Baxter, who Sarkisian said picked up the blitz and gave Ewers time to deliver the strike. A few weeks ago, the former No. 1 running back recruit might have missed the assignment while not at full speed.
He's healthy now, and the Longhorns will need a promising outing at Jack Trice Stadium to secure a win over a Cyclones' team that has no quit.
"The timing is pretty incredible in that CJ's 100% healthy again," Sarkisian said. "I would have been feeling really uncomfortable if this had happened a month ago because Cedric was really struggling with his foot."
