Texas HC Steve Sarkisian discusses shoring up RB position after high-profile injuries

The Texas Longhorns are undoubtedly one of the few teams heading into 2024 that can win the College Football Playoff national championship. With that said, they've already endured their fair share of adversity this fall, and they haven't even played a single game yet.

Specifically, Steve Sarkisian's team has been hit hard with the injury bug in the running back room.

Sophomore CJ Baxter was lost for the year early in August with a torn LCL/PCL that he suffered in practice. Along with him went the 659 yards and five touchdowns of experience he gained as a freshman.

A week later, one of the running backs expected to step up in Baxter's absence, freshman Christian Clark, was lost for the season with a torn Achilles.

In the span of a week, Texas went from loaded at the running back position to having only three scholarship running backs available for 2024. That's a problem that Sarkisian said his staff is still trying to fix, even with just 11 days before the season kicks off.

"We definitely have a spot that we can utilize. Again, a lot of times this late in the game, it’s probably not a traditional transfer, maybe more of a graduate transfer, something of the sort. So we’re kind of looking at all of our options there," Sarkisian told the media (h/t On3's Dan Morrison ).

Junior Jaydon Blue is now the team's most experienced rusher coming off a season that saw him rush 65 times for 398 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore Quintrevion Wisner and freshman Jerrick Gibson are also on the roster.

The Longhorns absolutely have a need, but that doesn't mean Sarkisian and his staff can't be picky, either. This is a championship-level roster, mind you.

“We just don’t want to take a body, to take a body,” Sarkisian explained. “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.”