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CJ Baxter injury update: Steve Sarkisian gives concerning update on Texas RB

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh9 hours agogriffin_mcveigh
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CJ Baxter (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

CJ Baxter spent only one play on the field against UTEP on Saturday. The running back got a handoff from Arch Manning to start things for the Texas offense, going for six yards. He then instantly limped off the field and was later ruled out.

A postgame update came from head coach Steve Sarkisian, revealing it’s a hamstring injury. The exact severity remains unknown to this point. However, Sarkisian did not want to push Baxter’s chances any further and decided to hold the running back out.

“Sarkisian on CJ Baxter’s health: Hamstring injury that they don’t know the severity of, though they knew it was enough to shut him down for the rest of the game,” Evan Vieth of On3’s Inside Texas said via X.

Texas wound up using multiple different runners to replace Baxter. True freshman James Simon led the team in yards, going for 67 yards on 17 carries. Jerrick Gibson got the ball one more time but rushed for three yards left. Second-year Christian Clark was the third running back, only gaining 32 yards on seven attempts.

As bad a day as Arch Manning had in the air, Sarkisian called his number on the ground a good bit. Manning ran for 51 yards and two touchdowns, the lone scores on the ground for the Longhorns. Maybe not the second-half strategy Texas had going in but Manning turned into an important piece.

More on third-year running back CJ Baxter, time with Texas

Unfortunately, missing time is nothing new for Baxter since he arrived on campus. He did not play at any point in 2024 due to a significant knee injury suffered during training camp. At the time, a big loss for the Longhorns after Baxter was expected to be the lead back.

We saw what Baxter’s potential could be as a true freshman, sharing a backfield with Jonathon Brooks back during the 2023 season. In 13 games played, he ran for 659 yards and five touchdowns on 138 carries. Texas knew they had a special player on their hands out of the recruiting process and thought they cashed in early on.

Hopefully, this does not wind up being a long-term thing. Texas takes the field again on Sept. 20 for the team’s last nonconference game of the season vs. Sam Houston State. One week later, the lights will officially turn back on, going to Gainesville for the SEC opener against Florida.