Texas safety Anthony Cook in street clothes, wearing sling on sideline

Texas will seemingly have to play the second half against Oklahoma State without a key defensive starter. When the Longhorns came out of the locker room to kick off, starting safety Anthony Cook was spotted out of uniform and in street clothes.

“Anthony Cook is in street clothes and has a sling on his left arm on the Texas sidelines,” Inside Texas’ Joe Cook said via Twitter.

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Cook has been part of an active safety group on Saturday for Texas, with him and Jerrin Thompson playing important roles for head coach Steve Sarkisian. With a left arm injury bothering Cook, Kitan Crawford has entered the game as his replacement.

Early in the first half, Cook was called for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty with targeting. After review, the officials determined the defensive back went shoulder to shoulder with Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders while he was sliding.

Cook got to stay in the game and avoid ejection.

Steve Sarkisian talks first half performance vs. Oklahoma State

After an exciting first half, Texas led Oklahoma State 31-24 at the beginning of the third quarter on Saturday. As the second half kicked off, ESPN sideline reporter Tom Luginbill provided a summary of what both Cowboys coach Mike Gundy and Longhorns head man Steve Sarkisian said heading into the locker room.

“I was talking with Mike Gundy going off the field and into the locker room and he kind of chucked and said, ‘We’ve got to stop the counter,’” Luginbill said. “He looked up at the score and said, ‘As many bad things that have happened, I’m pretty pleased with our football team team.’

“Texas, conversely, Steve Sarkisian says they’ve just got to calm down. Quinn Ewers has been a bit off, then when he’s been on, someone else has been off. They just haven’t been able to connect the way they’ve been in rhythm the last couple of weeks. He wants everybody to settle down on the Texas sideline.”