3 key injured players for Texas heading into the bye week

Jerrick Gibson, RB

Since late in the Week 1 win in the season opener at home over the Colorado State Rams on Aug. 31, true freshman running back Jerrick Gibson has dealt with a lingering lower-body injury.

Texas's entire running back room has dealt with a multitude of injuries that has been costly to the backfield depth this fall since the start of camp back in August. The good news is that Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice and Sarkisian have found very workable solutions to manage the depth situation in the backfield in the midst of all these RB injuries after the season's first month or so.

Gibson has fought hard with the reps he's gotten, running between the tackles effectively and fighting through contact to pick up key yards after initial contact in short-yardage and goal line situations for the Longhorns. Before the Mississippi State game, Gibson was arguably Texas's most reliable runner for money-down situations in those key short-yardage pickups for the ground game.

As Sarkisian has managed the backfield workload effectively for the remaining healthy scholarship running backs early this season, Texas has found a way to keep the chains moving on the ground when it matters in games. Texas's effective ground game in the second half against Mississippi State helped seal that double-digit victory after a slow start, with nearly 200 second-half rushing yards for the Longhorns to finish that game on some sort of a high note.

Gibson was limited to just a handful of carries in the second half against Mississippi State to try and manage his workload and injury entering the bye week for Texas. He's expected to be ready to go for the Longhorns on Oct. 12 against Oklahoma in Red River.