Aug 133 min read

Texas, Texas A&M Suffer Injuries at Running Back Position

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian must be wondering what’s going on with his running backs right now. The injury bug struck the Longhorns again on Aug. 12.

True freshman Christian Clark reportedly suffered a serious lower leg injury. What does his status look like for the upcoming college football season?

Not good right now. According to Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com. Longhorn coaches are thinking about putting redshirt freshman Ryan Niblett in the backfield. They would be moving Niblett from his wide receiver position to do so. On Tuesday afternoon, Texas officials confirmed Clark's and Longhorns fans' worst fears. Chip Brown of 247Sports reported that Clark tore his Achilles tendon at practice on Monday and will require season-ending surgery.

Texas Deals With RB Woes

This news comes on the heels of losing CJ Baxter to a season-ending knee injury. It’s not the kind of start Sarkisian and his team want to have happen now. This is especially true since hopes are high for Texas this season. The Longhorns are now Southeastern Conference members, which raises the stakes.

Clark, who stands 6-foot and weighs 210 pounds, was a four-star recruit out of Mountain Pointe in Phoenix. He was ranked No. 339 nationally and the nation’s No. 23 running back for the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to 247Sports.

Right now, Clark and Jerrick Gibson are reportedly battling for that third spot in the Texas Longhorns’ running back lineup. Both players took part in the Aug. 10 scrimmage. Sarkisian took note of both players’ efforts, which reportedly saw them record fumbles.

“I thought Christian and Jerrick got their introduction to college football a little bit,” Sarkisian said in meeting with reporters. “Both guys put the ball on the ground once, and that’s part of it. Jaydon (Blue) had to go up and remind them of his first scrimmage, and Cedric (CJ Baxter) had to remind them of his first scrimmage, and what that’s like.

“But they also did some really good things, too,” he said. “And so they’re definitely further down the road than maybe some would think. We’ve definitely been impressed with them.”

Texas A&M Loses Owens

While Texas sorts out its running back situation, longtime foe Texas A&M finds itself also dealing with backfield headaches.

News broke over the weekend that Rueben Owens will be out for the season. He suffered a major lower-leg injury during a recent scrimmage, putting a dent in the Aggies’ offensive scheme.

As a freshman last season, Owens totaled 743 all-purpose yards and scored 3 touchdowns. He earned SEC All-Freshman honors for his efforts, ESPN reports.

“Rueben Owens suffered a lower-leg injury in our scrimmage on Saturday,” Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko said in a statement. “I will address his injury at my next media availability.”

Owens was the No. 44 overall recruit listed in the ESPN 300. He topped SEC freshmen in rushing yards with 385 and kick return yards with 249. Owens is a native of El Campo, Texas.

What will the Aggies do with their backfield situation? They will look to leading rusher Amari Daniels to pick up the pace. Daniels amassed 532 yards and 6 touchdowns last season. He’ll be supported by junior running back Le’Veon Moss, who had 484 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns last season.

These key injuries don’t come at an advantageous time for either the Longhorns or Aggies. Yet Sarkisian and Elko do have time to adjust their lineups prior to starting a new season.

Come back to College Football Dawgs throughout the season for more news around the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies.