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CJ Baxter stacks days, a notable accomplishment after his 2024 injury

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook08/01/25josephcook89
CJ Baxter
CJ Baxter (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

This time last year, Texas running back CJ Baxter was preparing for life as RB1. Jonathon Brooks had moved onto the NFL, and Tashard Choice was grooming his prized recruit to be ready for the rigors of a full campaign. Then on August 6, 2024, a knee injury ended Baxter’s season before it even began.

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Baxter spent the rest of the season being a good teammate but going through his own rehab process. He mentioned ahead of the Peach Bowl he had made notable progress in his recovery. Steve Sarkisian said during SXSW that Baxter was on track, and that talking point continued throughout the offseason. Baxter even earned a lot of positive reviews behind the scenes as Inside Texas reported the third-year back looked better and better as the summer went on.

Then on Wednesday, Baxter took to the field and was one of the primary running backs for the Texas Longhorns along with Quintrevion Wisner. He made it through, even with a brace on his leg. Then, he went out and practiced the next day, stacking days in a way not possible for most of August last year.

“I thought CJ’s psyche looked really good today running the ball,” Sarkisian said on Wednesday. “I was definitely encouraged by that.”

Sarkisian also spoke about how it’s one thing to run with shorts and T-shirts on. It’s another thing to run with a helmet on during a real football practice between 300-pound blockers. It’ll be another landmark whenever Baxter and the rest of his teammates, including another back who is returning from injury in Christian Clark, start fighting through contact for yardage.

But all in all, Sarkisian was proud to see No. 4 working on the field on Wednesday, and that carried over into Thursday.

“CJ, I would probably say, was better than I was anticipating especially when we got into team periods,” Sarkisian said Wednesday. “He had a couple of runs that were encouraging to me. When you’re coming off a significant knee injury like those guys, physically you’re ready. It’s the mental side of the game of what’s that feel like?”

In 2023, Baxter rushed 138 times for 659 yards and five touchdowns, also catching 24 passes for 156 yards. After Brooks suffered a season-ending injury against TCU in 2023, Baxter logged 269 yards and two touchdowns on 51 carries in four games for Texas. He rushed for touchdowns against Oklahoma State and Washington in the Longhorns’ final two games of the season.

His work to get himself ready for the 2025 season not only has caught the eye of his coaches, but also his teammates. Ahead of the start of camp, Baxter was the one who addressed the team before practice one.

“To see him back, and to watch him address the offense in the offensive meeting about the energy that was needed in practice today and the focus that they needed to have, and then for him to go out the practice that he had, that was huge,’ Sarkisian said.

Baxter will face another test with the Longhorns’ third practice on Friday. Then the fourth on Saturday. Next week, a scrimmage will be another major test. Baxter didn’t even make it to that point last year.

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But he’s made it to this point because of a grueling rehab process. Going through that ordeal not only earned the respect of his coaches, but also his fellow Longhorns. The next step? Getting back up to 5-star speed and earning respect via running over, around, and through defenders.

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