Jahdae Barron, Kelvin Banks to be at ‘full strength’ for Texas football soon

With less than one week remaining of fall practice before the week of game preparation arrives for Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian, camp is winding down in the next few days. Texas has a few looming storylines heading into the week of practice for game preparation for the regular season opener, including some outstanding injuries from the last couple of weeks.

There is a trio of Longhorns players that fans are interested in hearing about that suffered injuries in fall camp in the last couple of weeks. That trio includes senior running back Roschon Johnson (high ankle sprain), junior defensive back Jahdae Barron (lower-body injury), and true freshman offensive tackle Kelvin Banks (ankle sprain).

Sark provided an update on all three of these injured Longhorns players during his press conference earlier this week. He noted that Banks was set to return to practice on Aug. 23 and that Johnson and Barron would return at some point this week.

It’s also worth noting that Sark stated that two other key injured Longhorns players, true freshman interior offensive lineman Cole Hutson and redshirt sophomore wide receiver Troy Omeire. Sark said that Hutson and Omeire were already practicing with the Longhorns as of Aug. 22.

Texas football could get Jahdae Barron and Kelvin Banks back at “full strength” in the near future

However, it will be a separate question whether the trio of Banks, Johnson, and Barron will be at 100 percent by the regular season opener.

The very nature of Johnson’s injury, a high ankle sprain, is one that can linger for running backs. But it’s still encouraging news that Johnson is set to be back practicing with the team so soon after suffering that high ankle sprain in the first scrimmage of fall camp a couple of weekends ago.

Banks also suffered an ankle sprain, but it doesn’t look like his was as severe as that of Johnson. He suffered that ankle sprain during the second scrimmage of fall camp last weekend.

Meanwhile, Barron suffered a lower-body injury that held him out of the last two scrimmages and out of full contact drills in the open practice back on Aug. 16. It sounds like he will be ready to go for the regular season opener next weekend, though.

And according to a report from Eric Nahlin of Inside Texas on the night of Aug. 23 (paid content), Texas should have Banks and Barron back at “full strength” in the not too distant future. That is good news for both of them, especially Barron.

Since Barron was held out of full contact drills and the scrimmages in the last couple of weeks, his injury appears to be more serious than that of Banks.

Texas will need both Banks and Barron healthy and ready to go during the difficult portion of the non-conference slate in weeks 2 and 3. With the No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide and defending Conference-USA Champion UTSA Roadrunners on the docket for the last two weeks of the non-conference slate, Banks and Barron will be key for the Longhorns.

Texas finished up last season with a record of 5-7 (3-6 Big 12), missing out on bowl season for the first time since 2016. Sark and the Longhorns are set to open up the 2022 regular season at home on Sep. 3 against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, with kickoff time set for 7 p.m. CT.