AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Longhorns sophomore running back CJ Baxter is out for the season with a knee injury, the program announced Wednesday.
Baxter was injured in Tuesday’s practice, the first of the season with the team in full pads. He will have surgery to repair the injury.
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Baxter was Texas’ top returning rusher, gaining 659 rushing yards on 138 attempts with five touchdowns last season. He also caught 24 passes for 146 yards. He was named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list, along with Jaydon Blue. The Doak Walker Award is given to the most outstanding running back in college football every year.
The bulk of the rushing attack is now on the shoulder of Blue, the speedster who ran for 398 yards on 65 carries last season. He scored three times and had the longest scoring run of the season at 69 yards.
The running back room is full of young talent with Blue the lone upperclassman as a junior. Sophomore Tre Wisner should see more action and the freshmen tandem of Christian Clark and Jerrick Gibson could get some carries as the year rolls on.
Texas opens the season at 2:30 p.m., Aug. 31 against Colorado State at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium.