Injuries at RB a hot topic as Herman meets with media

Texas down to two ballcarriers for Saturday’s season-opener versus Louisiana Tech

By Steve Habel, Senior Contributing Writer

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas coach Tom Herman told reporters Monday that his team is ready and on-point in its preparation for the season-opener Saturday hosting Louisiana Tech.

Even so, there are some remaining questions surrounding the team, mainly at running back and on the offensive line, the latter of which is a wealth of riches which has the Longhorns’ staff working to find the right five-player combo to start from six quality and experienced candidates.

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Running back is a different story, even though Herman said he expects both presumptive starter Keaontay Ingram and true freshman Jordan Whittington to play through knee and sports hernia injuries, respectively.

“We need them – they have to go,” Herman said of Ingram and Whittington, who’ve been wearing green “non-contact” jerseys in practice. ““They’re our only two, so I don’t know how you’d limit both of them, or what that would even entail for a game. I don’t think the officials are going to let them wear green on Saturday night.”

Junior short-yardage specialist Daniel Young, who recently suffered a high ankle sprain, will not play against the Bulldogs nor will redshirt senior Kirk Johnson, who continues to rehab a shoulder injury. The Longhorns will also be without walk-on running back Jarrett Smith.

“Our level of concern is high [regarding the injuries in the running back room],” Herman added. “We were supposed to have five scholarship running backs and had they all stayed healthy, we would have had five.”

Herman said freshman quarterback Roschon Johnson has been receiving reps at running back last week and could be called on “in case of emergency, break glass. Running back is a violent position.”

Speaking of quarterbacks and the dearth of depth at running back, Herman was asked if hard-charging and fearless starting signalcaller Sam Ehlinger would be asked to not try to do too much against the Bulldogs to reduce the risk of injury.

“For three years, there’s been that discussion,” Herman said with a smile. “Sam is who he is. We’re gonna need him in the run game at key points during the season, but you would like to keep his physicality to a minimum, and we talk a lot about it.”

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