In Week 1, Texas true freshman running back Derrek Cooper went down with an ankle injury and was missing from the lineup as the Longhorns defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 2.
However, before Texas and Ohio State even kicked off, sophomore tight end Nick Townsend was seen going to the locker room with what was later reported as a knee injury.
Now, the Horns are staring down their third game of the season, and the two offensive players are facing different realities for their availability this Saturday as No. 1 Texas hosts the UTSA Roadrunners.
OUT: Nick Townsend, tight end
Earlier in the week, head coach Steve Sarkisian shared minimal information about Townsend's status, stating that the tight end had a knee injury, but even he wasn't sure how long that meant Townsend would be out of rotation.
On Thursday, Sarkisian reported that Townsend wouldn't "be able to go Saturday."
Fellow tight ends Spencer Shannon and Michael Masunas will likely be TE1 and TE2, respectively, with sophomore Emaree Winston providing additional depth.
AVAILABLE: Derrek Cooper, running back
After spraining his ankle against the Texas State Bobcats in Week 1, Cooper was seen on the sidelines in a walking boot, and Sarkisian shared that he was out for the "foreseeable future."
Now, Sarkisian has shared that Cooper would play against UTSA on Saturday, giving the freshman running back invaluable experience, even while playing behind stars Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown.
Cooper made his debut for the Longhorns in Week 1, earning six yards on two carries against the Bobcats.
Longhorns continue to keep injuries at a minimum
Beyond Cooper and Townsend, the injuries to Texas's roster have been almost negligible so far this season, with left tackle Trevor Goosby returning from a bone bruise in his knee before the season even kicked off.
Offensive lineman Laurence Seymore III did not see any action against the Buckeyes in Week 2, allowing junior transfer Dylan Sikorski to see more playing time than initially expected at left guard, but Sarkisian shared earlier in the week that there was no injury concern for Seymore.
Seymore had suffered an "injury hiccup," as Sarkisian put it, and there were initially concerns that the lineman had reaggravated that initial injury. Luckily, it sounds like that wasn't the case.
In Week 3, with almost their entire roster available, the No. 1 Texas Longhorns and the UTSA Roadrunners are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. CT, with the game airing on the SEC Network+.
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