AUSTIN, Texas — The national championship-seeking Texas Longhorns will now have to embark on the journey without one of their most explosive offensive players.
Running back CJ Baxter is out for the 2024 season after tearing the LCL and PCL ligaments in his right knee during Tuesday's preseason practice. After undergoing an MRI, Texas announced Wednesday that the sophomore's injuries will require surgery.
The expected recovery time for the injury is six to nine months, meaning the earliest Baxter could return to practice would be February – well after the conclusion of the 2024-25 college football season.
Baxter was expected to lead the Longhorns' backfield in 2024, the team's first as a member of the SEC. In his true freshman campaign, the Orlando, Florida, native ran for 659 yards and five touchdowns, tallying a season-high 117 yards against Iowa State on Nov. 18 – the team's first game after losing last season's starter Jonathon Brooks to a torn ACL.
With Baxter sidelined, the Longhorns will likely turn to junior Jaydon Blue to serve as the team's primary running back. Blue ran for 398 yards and scored three touchdowns in 2023, while also scoring a receiving touchdown in the Longhorns' Big 12 Championship win over Oklahoma State. A total of 110 of Blue's rushing yards came against Texas Tech in the regular season finale, a game where he accounted for 310 all-purpose yards in total.
Baxter's injury also means an increased role is possible for sophomore Tre Wisner, who will likely serve as Blue's immediate backup. Freshmen Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark could also see their roles increase.