Texas Longhorns add to their running back room with grad transfer commitment Velton Gardner

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has been actively turnover every rock looking for another option at running back after injuries took out two key contributors. The Longhorns appear to have found one in grad transfer Velton Gardner.

Gardner, a former Kansas and SMU running back with one year of eligibility remaining, posted on his Instagram account late Wednesday that he’s committed to Texas. The graduate transfer has 1,024 career yards and six touchdowns.

The Longhorns lost projected starter CJ Baxter early in training camp with torn knee ligaments and freshman Christian Clark tore his Achilles. Both are out for the season.

Related: Latest from Steve Sarkisian confirms that running back injuries are stress testing Texas' offensive depth

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian looked at moving other players currently on the roster to running back. Assistants also poured over those in the transfer portal.

“We just don't want to take a body, just to take a body,” Sarkisian said Monday. “If it's someone that can help us in some capacity, maybe limited role, bigger role, whatever that is, we are looking at all options that way.”

Gardner played at Kansas from 2019-2021 and appeared in 19 games. He had a career-high 368 rushing yards in 2022 after transferring to SMU. Last season, he played in 10 games and rushed for 137 yards and scored once.

Texas doesn’t need a bell cow; the Horns simply need more depth. Junior Jaydon Blue is expected to be the projected starter with Baxter now injured.

One of Sarkisian’s strengths is designing offensive movement that gets the ball to players in open space or while they’re on the move. Gardner is 5-foot-9, 195 pounds, so his nimble feet will be used accordingly.