Taking a look at Texas's RB room with transfer Velton Gardner
Tre Wisner and Jerrick Gibson expectations
Sophomore Tre Wisner and true freshman Jerrick Gibson have been thrust into the spotlight very quickly at running back for the Longhorns entering the upcoming season in the SEC and for Week 2 against Michigan on the road. Wisner and Gibson are now of the utmost importance to this running back room as two-thirds of the healthy scholarship running backs who started with the team in preseason camp.
In Wisner's case, he'll see an extreme uptick in his live-game reps and targets in the passing game in his bigger role on offense out of the backfield. He barely cracked double-digit carries out of the backfield in live-game action for the Longhorns as a true freshman last season.
A big question for Wisner is whether Sarkisian and Jeff Banks will continue to utilize him as a special teams gunner with the coverage units. He was among the tackles leaders for Texas on the special teams coverage units in punt and kick coverage.
Gibson's role will be critical for the Longhorns because of his ability to run between the tackles and up the middle in the zone blocking scheme for the ground game after Baxter's injury in fall practice.
What makes Gibson so crucial for this backfield rotation this fall is his size and downhill running ability. Since he is the biggest back Texas has left healthy, Gibson will be taking some of those defined carries in third and fourth down situations.