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CJ Baxter injury update: Texas gives concerning news on RB

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh14 hours agogriffin_mcveigh
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CJ Baxter (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

Texas running back CJ Baxter had all of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium holding its breath after just one play. Baxter picked up a nice gain on a first-down run but instantly looked to be in some pain. He limped off the field, meeting up with a team trainer.

Not too long after, Texas ruled Baxter out for the remainder of the game. A big loss for the Longhorns and one to watch moving forward, as Steve Sarkisian continues to see running back depth thin. Starter Tre Wisner is already not in uniform against UTEP due to an injury.

As mentioned, one carry wound up being the lone action for Baxter. He finished with a total of six yards, bringing his total for the 2025 season to 110 yards. Getting back on the field is a top priority, as is getting his first touchdown of the season. At least one more week will have to pass, assuming Baxter can get back sooner rather than later.

Moving forward without Baxter, the Longhorns possess a few options at their disposal. Both Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark got onto the field in relief. There is true freshman James Simon that Sarkisian can pull out of the bullpen if wanted. To this point, Simon does not have any college experience. You can imagine a steady diet will be coming their way as the game develops.

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.