3 days ago
Countdown to Kickoff: Baxter is Back!
The man that Longhorns fans are as excited to see as anyone not named Manning. CJ Baxter was the No. 1 RB in the country in the 2023 class and he came into Austin looking like it. He began the season playing second fiddle to Johnathan Brooks, but after Brooks went down against TCU, Baxter took over and took the world by storm.
2023 Stats: 138 carries, 659 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 156 receiving yards
2023 was the precursor to what was supposed to be a 1,000+ yard season in 2024, but around this time a year ago, Baxter tore his LCL and ACL and lost the whole season. It was a massive blow to the Texas run game, which continued to rear its ugly head a year ago, but he's ready to roll in 2025. The question becomes how quickly will he be ready?
It sounds like everything is going well with the recovery, but Sarikisian and the coaching staff are in no rush to get him back in full swing. That makes sense with how productive Tre Wisner was a year ago and the confidence in a guy like Jerrick Gibson. That being said, this is a guy that once he is fully healthy can be one of the best running backs in the entire country.
From there, you have to figure out where you want to fit him into the equation. It sounds like Christian Clark is making quick progress, Jerrick Gibson continues to improve and Wisner is the RB1 right now. It is a fantastic problem for Steve Sarkisian to have, but it will be a tough thing to juggle the right way. If Sarkisian and company can put together the right split and introduction for Baxter, he will be very productive.
CJ Baxter became one of the Longhorns fans favorites during his freshman year, and many feel like they were robbed of a remarkable sophomore campaign. This year, he's back and seems to be as healthy as can be hoped, but the tightrope walk of wanting him on the field while also wanting to keep him healthy is going to define Baxter's season in 2025.
So, it will take time for CJ to get back up to speed, but he wants to be on the field and the fans want to see him. Baxter has looked really strong throughout the opening days of fall camp, and I fully expect him to be on the field during the Ohio State game. Fans will be waiting with bated breath to see #4 trot onto the field in Columbus. As long as CJ Baxter gets healthier and more comfortable as the season goes on, it'll be hard to find a better backfield than the one in Austin.
The running back group is deep and very talented, and that will only get more true as Baxter finds his way back to full strength. As fun as the RB room is, the WR room might be the most interesting on the entire team, and we will jump into it tomorrow. We will kick that group off with the veteran and perceived leader of the unit, Deandre Moore Jr.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: The Texas RB room gets huge boost with the reintroduction of CJ Baxter
