Texas loses RB Baxter for season with knee injury

Dave Wilson, ESPN Staff WriterAug 7, 2024, 02:44 PM ET

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Dave Wilson is a college football press reporter. He formerly worked at The Dallas Early Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.Texas running back CJ Baxter

suffered a knee injury in practice Tuesday that will require season-ending surgical treatment, the school announced Wednesday.An MRI revealed Baxter injured his lateral and posterior

security ligaments(LCL and PCL), sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.Baxter, the No. 30 total recruit in the 2023 ESPN 300, was anticipated to be a significant contributor for Texas this season. Last year, Baxter became the first real freshman to begin a season opener for the Longhorns because Ricky Williams in 1995, before leaving the Rice game with a rib injury after 5 carries for 38 yards.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Jonathon Brooks established himself as the starter later, hurrying for 1,139 backyards and 10 TDs before a knee

injury versus TCU ended his season.

Baxter started the next game against Iowa State, running for 117 yards on 20 brings for his only profession 100-yard game at Texas, finishing the season with 659 yards and 5 touchdowns as Texas won the Big 12 and landed a Sugar Bowl berth in the College Football Playoff semifinal.While Baxter’s loss is a huge one, the Longhorns have depth at running back. Both Baxter and Jaydon Blue were expected to share carries, and both were named today to the Doak Walker Award watch list,

honoring the nation’s finest running back.Blue, 6 feet and 220 pounds, has appeared in 23 games at Texas, consisting of all 14 last season as the Longhorns completed 12-2, won the Big 12 and made the College Football Playoff.Baxter and Blue shared the load after Brooks’injury, with

Blue running for 398 backyards and 3 TDs last season, including 10 carries for 121 yards and a TD against Texas Tech, and four catches for 45 lawns in the CFP semifinal loss to Washington, where he also returned 3 kickoffs for 80 yards.Behind Blue, sophomore running back Tre Wisner played in all 14 games last season on unique teams.Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday that inbound freshman Jerrick Gibson, who was ranked as the No. 2 running back nationally and the No. 59 overall possibility in the 2024 ESPN 300, has impressed him in early returns.Texas opens its very first season as a member of the SEC on Aug. 31 in the house versus Colorado State.Orangebloods was very first to report the news.