Texas Longhorns Unveil New Look Backfield Ahead of Citrus Bowl Against Michigan

The Texas Longhorns may have found the answer to their running back room ahead of the matchup against the Michigan Wolverines

Sep 20, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Christian Clark (6) runs for yards past Sam Houston Bearkats defensive lineman Darius Jackson (90) during the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

One of the downsides to the college football season is the calendar, leaving players scrambling to make a decision about their future, and some teams are left with a roster that is completely gutted by the time they even reach their bowl game.

The Texas Longhorns, even being the household name and national brand that they are, are not exempt from those struggles either. Having an exodus of talent and depth in their running back room, head coach Steve Sarkisian was left scrambling to find the pieces for his backfield, which the offense heavily relies on.

Now, after starting practices again following the Christmas holidays, it seems they have found their answer to their problem in Christian Clark and dynamic returner Ryan Niblett.

Early Preview

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Niblett (21) runs the ball during the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Neither the Longhorns nor the Michigan Wolverines will be at full strength when the two college football blue bloods collide in Florida on New Year's Eve. Between the departures for the NFL Draft and the transfer portal, the Longhorns were left with depleted depth in their running back and secondary rooms, with the former being notably lacking in game experience from the backfield.

However, it seems there is a clear-cut answer to which Longhorn will be running with the ones in the Citrus Bowl, as Clark took the reps alongside quarterback Arch Manning in their return to practice. The Arizona native is no stranger to the offense either, as this is his second season in the Forty Acres. Still, this is his first year seeing game action after suffering an injury in fall camp that saw him sidelined for the 2024 season.

Running back Christian Clark in with the 1s for the #Longhorns, as seen in the clip below.

Ryan Niblett was the second-team RB today for #Texas. pic.twitter.com/ZWa3OazEg8

— OnTexasFootball (@ontexasfootball) December 27, 2025

This season, he appeared in seven games, rushing for 131 yards and one touchdown on 35 attempts. He also showed some flashes in the passing game, putting out 57 yards on just four receptions. As he finally gets his chance to show what he can do in the backfield, he is no stranger to what Sarkisian's offense can look like when it is running successfully.

Behind him will be the dynamic return specialist in Niblett, who has played at nearly all of the skills positions for the Longhorns during his time in Austin. Like Clark, he is no stranger to the backfield either, amassing 38 yards on 13 carries, including a rushing touchdown in 2024. While primarily known for his success on punt returns this season, with his speed and shiftiness, Niblett and Clark should make a formidable one-two punch against the Wolverines' stout defense.

The Longhorns will kick off in Florida against the Wolverines on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. CT