Texas Longhorns power couple pushes each other in football, softball
It has been a long, hard year for CJ Baxter. The Texas Longhorns running back injured his knee in last year's fall camp and missed the entire 2024 season. But another University of Texas star athlete has been helping the Florida native with his comeback.
Baxter's girlfriend is UT Softball star Mia Scott. The newly minted national champion played with a torn ACL in the Women's College World Series. On that injured knew, Scott hit a grand slam in the national title clinching game and was named to the WCWS All-Tournament Team.
According to Baxter, Scott has been motivating him through his own rehab. "She pushed me," Baxter said after practice on Thursday. "When there were days I didn't want to get up and feel amazing, she made me get up."
Baxter says he was amazed at Scott's toughness in the WCWS. "She's tough," he said. "She played on the torn ACL. I don't know how she did it. But she's super tough."
The competitive pair have a friendly rivalry over their knee injury common bond. "She's always messing with me about it," Baxter said. "She'll be like, 'How come I can play on it but you can't?' But, I mean, she didn't have surgery. She was able to do it. I had surgery. I had a little set back."
Forecast to be the lead back last season, before tearing both his LCL and ACL, Baxter was recently named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List. The Doak Walker is given to the best running back in the nation.
The best motivation Scott has given Baxter is sitting in their bedroom. "Since she's won the national championship, her trophy is on my nightstand," he said. "Every morning when I wake up, that's the first thing I see. She's like, I got to go win one."
CJ Baxter talks about his girlfriend and Texas star 3B Mia Scott:'She Tough…' pic.twitter.com/PBALKbkgpe
The Orlando, FL back says he's ready to go this season. "I joked with my dad I was more excited to get tackled than score a touchdown," he said. "I feel great. One day at a time is the big saying I like to say every day.'
Baxter is happy to be back and ready after missing a year's worth of football. 'I'm not even going to sit here and sugar coat it," he said. "The first two months were brutal sitting at home and watching the games from my couch because I couldn't move around as much, it was hard for me to watch football. But man, when I look back on it now, of course I'm not glad I got injured, but I'm grateful for what it did for me, mentally, physically and spiritually."
If Baxter is back to 100%, he could have a huge season. 'I feel like I put in the work in my rehab not to have any doubts, I haven't doubted myself at all,' Baxter said.
"I joked with my dad I was more excited to get tackled than score a touchdown."Texas RB C.J. Baxter is back for the Longhorns and says he feels great. He also revealed something a bit surprising about his recovery from torn ligaments in his knee... #HookEm pic.twitter.com/p6DtiqKVaZ
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