Texas loses another RB to season-ending injury
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Dave Wilson, ESPN Staff WriterAug 13, 2024, 08:56 PM ET Close Dave Wilson is a college football reporter. He previously worked at The Dallas Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.No.
4 Texas suffered its 2nd season-ending injury at running back Monday when real freshman Christian Clark tore an Achilles tendon in practice, the school revealed Tuesday.Texas stated Clark will have surgery and will miss the remainder of the year, six days after announcing CJ Baxter, last year’s opening-game starter, will undergo season-ending knee surgery.The losses leave the Longhorns with three scholarship running backs.Editor’s Picks Jaydon Blue, who has appeared in 23 games at Texas, hurrying for 431 yards with three goals, is expected to shoulder the load this season. He had 4 catches for 45 lawns in the Longhorns’College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Washington, in which he likewise returned 3 kickoffs for 80 yards.Behind Blue, the Longhorns have sophomore Quintrevion Wisner, who played in all 14 games last season on unique teams, and freshman Jerrick Gibson
, who was ranked as the No. 2 running back and the No. 59 prospect in the 2024 ESPN 300. Clark, a four-star recruit from Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, signed with Texas in December.Texas coach Steve Sarkisian informed reporters Monday that Clark and Gibson, regardless of both fumbling in Saturday’s scrimmage in what he described as a” welcome to
college football moment,”were coming along and were”even more down the roadway than some may think.”” It absolutely injures to see that go down,” Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers said of the injuries in a post-practice video session with press reporters Tuesday night. “Injuries do occur. It’s simply a part of the game we play. I think [running backs coach Tashard] Option and Coach Sark do a good job of recruiting good running backs that can ultimately complete the position if needed. … I think we have guys that are going to be more than efficient in stepping in and filling up those roles.” Ewers rushed for 5 goals last season and got confidence in his running capability, including 29-and 30-yard touchdown runs against Baylor and Kansas, with Sarkisian stating after the Kansas game that Ewers discovered,”
Man, possibly I’m a little faster than I believed.”Ewers stated Tuesday that if more running obligation falls on him, he enjoys to do it.”Eventually, I’m just trying to do whatever I can to assist this group win football games,”Ewers said. “So if that suggests I require to run more, so be it.”