Texas Football: 2 key injured OL that could miss spring camp

Connor Robertson, C

An interior offensive lineman that is likely to lock up a spot on the two-deep depth chart for Flood and the Longhorns is redshirt freshman center Connor Robertson. The 6-foot-4 and 300-pound second-year center Robertson is expected to be the backup at the position behind rising redshirt junior Jake Majors in 2023.

Multiple reports this week indicated that Robertson underwent surgery earlier this week, which it sounds like he held off on until after the conclusion of the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29. Robertson apparently hurt his left wrist during the 2022 regular season, but waited to get surgery until after the postseason given the lack of center depth after Logan Parr entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

There are some conflicting reports coming in this week regarding Robertson’s status for spring ball. Bobby Burton of Inside Texas/On Texas Football is reporting that Robertson is expected to miss spring practice for the Longhorns.

Meanwhile, Chip Brown of Horns247 is reporting this week that Robertson could return for spring ball after getting surgery on his left wrist.

I didn’t expect Robertson to push Majors that hard for starting reps at the center position during spring ball. But there could be competition either for the backup job, or even the starting job depending on how Flood and the Longhorns shift personnel around the O-Line this offseason, to unseat Majors ahead of the start of the 2023 regular season.

If Robertson is out for the entirety of spring ball, that will set back the center depth a good bit. But it could also open up the opportunity for Flood to experiment with other interior offensive linemen taking reps at center.

We should remember that Flood and the Longhorns tried senior interior offensive lineman Junior Angilau out at the center position ahead of Majors last year in camp prior to the unfortunate season-ending knee injury he suffered in a fall scrimmage.