Steve Sarkisian announces surgeries for two Texas Longhorns starters
The Texas Longhorns received bad news this weekend on two fronts. Offensively, Steve Sarkisian announced wide receiver Jordan Whittington had surgery for a broken clavicle. Defensively, edge Jacoby Jones has also had surgery for his foot.
Timetables for the return of the players, both starters, are unknown at this time.
Sarkisian, the first-year Longhorns head coach, wasted no time getting to the next-man-up mentality.
“There’s not a lot of time in our sport, the way the turnaround is, for the ‘poor me’s,’ the ‘woe is me’s,'” Sarkisian said Monday. “No one is feeling sorry for us.”
Texas lost the Red River Showdown to Oklahoma in a riveting battle on Saturday, and the two starters to go along with it. At 4-2 on the season, the Longhorns are now No. 25 in the country heading into Week 7.
Texas loses Whittington, Jones ahead of Week 7
Jordan Whittington, a sophomore from Cuero, Texas, went for three catches for 35 yards in the game. He also added one rush for eight yards but failed to score a touchdown on the ground or through the air. In the fourth quarter, he left the field to the locker room for further evaluation and did not return.
Junior Marcus Washington stepped in to replace Whittington. Washington has nine career receptions for 112 yards and one touchdown in three seasons at Texas.
Jacoby Jones suffered his injury early in the game versus the Sooners. Jones plays at the defensive end and jack positions for Texas. He entered Saturday’s Red River Rivalry with 18 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, over the first five games of the season. With Jones out with the foot injury, Notre Dame transfer Ovie Oghoufo stepped into the lineup for Texas.
For Whittington, recovery times could put him out for the rest of the season. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a broken clavicle can take between three months and six months to fully heal. With no further information on the specifics for Jones, it’s tough to estimate. If it’s a fracture, he could be out for six to eight weeks.
Steve Sarkisian’s squad must now focus on preparation for No. 12 Oklahoma State without the starting duo. Kickoff is set for noon ET on Saturday. Texas is currently a 5.5-point favorite in Vegas.
Freshman receiver earns Week 6 shoutout
Texas freshman Xavier Worthy had a standout game on Saturday, earning a spot in the On3 true freshmen report. Worthy started off the Red River Showdown with a bang, taking a quick pass 75 yards to the house on the game’s first play from scrimmage.
By the time the dust settled, the former five-star prospect had turned in a historic outing with nine catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns. The lone blemish came on a lost fumble. If Saturday was any indication, Worthy may become a star in Austin sooner than later.