Ryan Watts, CB
Texas’ starting boundary corner, redshirt junior Watts, suffered a scary-looking injury early in the game against Texas Tech on Black Friday. Watts was involved in the hit on Texas Tech senior running back Tahj Brooks on the Red Raiders’ first offensive play from scrimmage on Nov. 24. Watts was down on the sidelines for a few minutes after the play was dead.
Thankfully, Watts was seen walking off the field under his own power after a few minutes of working with the medical trainers.
Steve Sarkisian says Ryan Watts had a back injury: "We'll know more moving forward. I just saw him in the locker room. He's in good spirits, so that's a positive."
— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) November 25, 2023
On Cedric Baxter, Sarkisian said Baxter had a hip pointer held him out the rest of the game because of the lopsided…
In his postgame press conference after the win over Texas Tech, Sark said Watts suffered a back injury. Sark also mentioned Watts was “in good spirits” when he saw him in the locker room after the game.
In his Monday press conference on Nov. 27, Sark listed Watts as “questionable” with the back injury he suffered against Texas Tech.
After Watts suffered the back injury in the first quarter against Texas Tech last week, true freshman corner Malik Muhammad took most of the reps at the boundary spot. Muhammad did a phenomenal job in relief of the injured Watts at boundary corner, highlighted by the true freshman reeling in his first career interception on a beautiful play on the ball he snatched from Texas Tech receiver Jerand Bradley.
Malik Muhammad went off for his first career INT against Tech on Friday! pic.twitter.com/ZgNlvMYOHQ
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) November 26, 2023
Muhammad was not only the highest-graded DB in coverage for the Longhorns in Week 13, but he was also the second-highest-graded cornerback in coverage in the Big 12.
Texas also rotated redshirt junior corner Gavin Holmes in for more live-game reps at the boundary spot, with Watts absent due to the back injury.