Jaydon Blue injury update: Steve Sarkisian shares latest on Texas RB

According to Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, running back Jaydon Blue is seeing improvement as he works to heal from an ankle injury. Blue suffered the injury in a Week 2 win against Michigan and sat out this past week’s game against UTSA.

Sarkisian couldn’t say in his Monday press conference whether Blue would be available for Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe. However, he did at least offer a positive update.

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“Jaydon’s making good progress right now,” Sarkisian said. “Hopefully we can get Jaydon back. He’s an impactful player for us not only in the running game, but in the passing game.”

The injury to Blue is the second blow for the Longhorns running back room after expected starter CJ Baxter suffered a season-ending knee injury in fall camp. Blue stepped up in his place to rush for total 153 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown through the first two games.

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Texas turned to the duo of Tre Wisner and true freshman Jerrick Gibson on Saturday with Blue out. They combined to rush for 103 yards and 17 carries in the 56-7 victory against the Roadrunners.

It was solid given the circumstances and considering the lack of experience between both players. However, Sarkisian still saw some things he’d like his team to work out if Blue were forced to miss again this week.

“The run game for us has been unique,” he said. “I think we’re blocking some stuff really, really well at the line of scrimmage. Something we challenged the receivers on in my meeting is I think we need to block better on the perimeter. We need to get hands and hats on safeties and we need to give our runners opportunity to create really big runs. Also, I think some of that is you got a couple new runners in Tre and Jerrick. They’re gonna find their comfort level in the open field. Jerrick right now is kind of like a baby rhino. He gets in the open field, puts his head down and runs right at somebody.

“It’s gonna be OK for him to make a guy miss and try to score a touchdown. But right now, coach (Tashard) Choice has got him red-dotting something and running right at it. But we’re blocking things pretty well at the line of scrimmage. To create those explosive runs, our receivers gotta commit to it. It takes all 11 in the run game. Then I think our runners getting used to being in the open field. Especially Tre and Jerrick. It’s a little bit new to them right now.”

Hopefully Blue will be able to make his return to give some more experience to a backfield that needs it right now. Kickoff between Texas and ULM is set for 7 p.m. CT on Saturday in Austin.