Steve Sarkisian Confident in Texas Longhorns Running Back Depth

The Texas Longhorns are abundant in talent for the 2025 season, boasting great players throughout the roster. The running backs especially, are a position group this season that fans and analysts are looking to keep an eye on, particularly with the return of CJ Baxter.

In a recent conversation with ESPN's Greg McElroy on his Always College Football Podcast, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke about his running back room and was cautiously optimistic about Baxter's upcoming season.

“Cedric Baxter's a wild card,” Sarkisian said, via On3. “We have been methodical in our approach with him and he’s done everything we’ve asked of him in his recovery...I don’t want to put him out there before he’s really ready to play. And he’s giving me no reason not to think that he’s not gonna be ready, but I guess I’m being a little more cautious than most because I can be."

Baxter suffered a season-ending injury prior to the 2024 season when he tore his LCL and PCL in his right knee in practice.

Sarkisian lauded his ability to be cautious entering 2025 because of the depth Texas possesses at running back. One player Sarkisian emphasized is sophomore Tre Wisner.

The Texas Longhorns running back room has elite depth

“It’s hard to argue with what Tre Wisner did last year,” Sarkisian said. “I really felt like the second half of the season, that guy put the team on his shoulders in a couple of games where we had to run the ball...He's had a great offseason. I give Tre Wisner a ton of credit; he went into spring bigger, faster and more decisive in his running style."

Wisner led the Longhorns last season in carries, 226, and rushing yards, 1,064, and was second in rushing touchdowns with five. As he continues to develop, Wisner and other Texas running backs are expected to take some of the workload from Baxter as he returns to play for the first time since preseason last year.

“I think a couple of other young players that people have almost forgotten a little about,” Sarkisian said. “Jerrick Gibson has had a great spring and a great summer. He’s a guy that had some big plays for us in some critical games...Christian Clark is back. He was the other guy that got hurt in training camp when Cedric Baxter got hurt... He’s had a great spring and a great summer. Those three guys I’m super pumped about.”

Having as much depth in the backfield as Sarkisian boasts will be a great advantage for Texas' new starting quarterback, Arch Manning, who will be able to rely on his running back room if the workload becomes too much.