Texas Football: 4 impactful spring camp absences due to injury

Impactful injuries in spring No. 3: Derek Kerstetter

As both one of the more surprising players to return to the Forty Acres for one more year this offseason, and one of the more important offensive linemen on the roster, the next player up on this list would really come in handy for Sark and Flood in spring ball. Fifth-year senior and versatile offensive guard/center Derek Kerstetter will still miss some time this offseason after the gruesome lower-body injury he suffered last season.

Kerstetter almost made it through his entire senior campaign last fall, but he wound up suffering a bad leg injury in the Longhorns regular season finale win over the Kansas State Wildcats in early December. That also caused him to miss the Longhorns bowl game.

More specifically, it is an ankle problem that is still causing Kerstetter to go through the rehab and recovery process as spring ball moves along. He might be able to slowly work his way back into summer workouts and then get back into contact drills by the time fall camp rolls around this offseason.

The 6-foot-5 and 300 pound Kerstetter will be by far the most experienced and proven offensive linemen returning for the Longhorns this year. With the departure of former redshirt junior standout offensive tackle Sam Cosmi to the NFL Draft, Kerstetter will be looked to as a true leader for this position group.