Texas Longhorns Have a Tough Trevor Goosby Decision to Make Before Week 1

The Texas Longhorns had the biggest scare of Fall Camp up to this point as star left tackle Trevor Goosby sustained a knee injury during practice on Monday night.

However, the Longhorns and Texas fans were able to breathe a massive sigh of relief following an MRI on Tuesday morning. As per reports from ESPN's Pete Thamel, the left tackle sustained a bone bruise on his left knee.

While a major disaster was avoided as Goosby's injury wasn't season-ending, the Longhorns still have a big-time decision to make about how cautious they should be with the star left tackle through the rest of Fall Camp and when his return could be possible.

Texas Should Be Hyper-Careful with Trevor Goosby

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Trevor Goosby — Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) and offensive lineman Trevor Goosby (74) react after Manning ran for a touchdown during the first half against the Texas El Paso Miners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns still have a few weeks left to ramp up towards the start of the 2026 season as Texas opens the season on September 5 against the Texas State Bobcats. And as for Goosby's timetable, it'll remain uncertain.

The smartest decision for the Longhorns moving forward would be to shut down Goosby from any contact to avoid the injury from worsening and put him on ice to rehab his knee, looking to accelerate the healing process.

Everyone on the Texas coaching staff knows the talent that Goosby has; the left tackle has nothing to prove, which makes the possible decision to be pulled from practice much easier.

Unfortunately, that means the developing cohesion of the Longhorns' starting offensive line will obviously take a step back, but getting Goosby back to 100 percent should be the biggest goal for Texas.

And as for the start of the season, that sits a little over three weeks away, the Longhorns should by no means rush Goosby to be back by Week 1 when Texas faces Texas State. While the Longhorns would have to reshuffle the offensive line, giving Goosby more time to heal will undoubtedly benefit.

The biggest question the Longhorns face with Goosby comes in Week 2 against the Ohio State Buckeyes. A top-five matchup in Austin that could play a big part in the fate of the Longhorns 2026 season would be the perfect time for Goosby to suit up if he can play.

Goosby is considered the second-most important offensive player the Longhorns have, after Arch Manning, and in those big atmospheres, star players usually dictate the outcome. And with the Longhorns facing what should be one of the top defenses in the country, with top players along the defensive line, getting Goosby back would obviously improve Texas' chances.

However, the Longhorns' ultimate goal for the 2026 season is set for something much bigger than just a single game as Texas looks to capture a national title. And rushing Goosby back fast could increase the risk of further damage or worsen the state of his knee.

If the Longhorns wish to be competing late into the 2026 season, holding Goosby out for a few more weeks to get him back to 100 percent could ultimately benefit the team in the long run.

Steve Sarkisian and the rest of his staff have a tough decision to make regarding Goosby, as the Longhorns must balance competing early in the season and keeping the grind of a long season in mind, with the biggest goal being to get their star left tackle as close to fully healthy as possible.

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