After receiving an MRI, the knee injury suffered by Texas Longhorns sophomore running back CJ Baxter during practice on Tuesday was confirmed as a ligament tear on Wednesday, according to a report from Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.
Shortly thereafter, Texas confirmed the news that Baxter will need surgery and miss the season.
It’s the first significant injury off the entire offseason for the Longhorns and it’s a big blow — Baxter projected as the starter at running back for the second straight season, hoping to build on a promising freshman campaign that saw the nation’s No. 1 running back in the 2023 recruiting class win the starting job after enrolling early before rushing for 659 yards on 138 rushes with five touchdowns.
Nagging injuries limited Baxter as Jonathon Brooks took advantage of increased playing time, eventually becoming the first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft despite his own knee injury against TCU that ended his season.
The loss of Baxter elevates junior Jaydon Blue to the starting role, backed up by sophomore Tre Wisner and the two highly-touted freshmen, Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark, one of whom should factor into the rotation as the third back.
Blue flashed last season in a row that increased following the injury to Brooks, breaking off a 69-yard touchdown run in the blowout win over Texas Tech and finding the end zone again against Washington in the Sugar Bowl. The 65 carries by Blue in 2023 racked up 398 yards and three touchdowns in addition to 14 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown.
