C.J. Baxter’s significant status update has Steve Sarkisian and Co. fired up for 2025

Longhorns RB C.J. Baxter recently sat down with members of the local media, and he finally gave Texas fans the news that they've wanted to hear since the spring. He said that he was finally 100% and "feels great".

Though everyone is excited and rooting for every Texas running back in 2025, C.J. Baxter has been a huge missing piece to Steve Sarkisian's backfield since he suffered that knee injury in practice last August. He's a very smooth and powerful runner who pairs perfectly with Tre Wisner's skillset.

Once Baxter said "100%", it felt like a huge weight was lifted off the shoulders of Longhorns fans everywhere because it's been truly unclear whether or not he'd be full-go before the 2025 season arrives.

To go along with Baxter's recent status update, Steve Sarkisian had a few things to say regarding his activity level going forward.

"I was set on being overly cautious and patient coming into the season. I've changed my tune. I told him that. I met with him after last scrimmage. We're going to be a little more aggressive than we thought. And he wants it that way. He continues to give me confidence that I can be aggressive with the way he's responding day after day after day."

Baxter was sporting a bulky knee brace and was seemingly going through drills at only 70-80% speed at the beginning of fall camp. Now, the brace is completely off and he's getting tackled left and right. That's a pretty huge improvement and one that's irrefutably contributed to both his efforts and the efforts of Texas' training and recovery staff.

Sarkisian went on to talk about Baxter's mental acuity and maturity in handling his injury situation:

"Unbelievably impressed. That's always the challenge when you come off major surgery and injuries type stuff, and as a runner in particular. At the end of the day you think about your job is to take the ball and there's 11 guys on the other side that are all trying to smack you as hard as they can and get you on the ground. And then you gotta do it again and again and again and again. And so, I think for him, there's a real sense of maturity early on in the process with how he was going to attack his recovery, there was a real sense of maturity in how he was going to support his teammates. And I think in turn, coming back this year, the respect he has from his teammates by the way that he rehabbed, now they're supporting him and his journey to take that step to be the player that he wants to become, but I know they want for him as well. But I think his confidence continues to grow that as he gets over the one hurdle to the next to the next, I think his confidence continues to grow."

To be completely honest, I don't think Baxter will have any limitations heading into week one against Ohio State. Just saying that sounds crazy because up until the second scrimmage, it was unknown whether or not Baxter would even see more than just a few carries against OSU.

Having a completely healthy backfield to utilize will make things a lot easier for Arch Manning and the passing game against the Buckeyes' daunting secondary on August 30th. Texas football continues to pick up steam heading into their ultimate revenge game in Columbus.