Jaydon Blue reflects on his praiseworthy spring
Jaydon Blue had quality running backs to look up to during his first two years as part of the Texas Longhorns. Now entering year three, Blue is applying lessons learned from current and future professionals to up his game as the Longhorns go through spring football.
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“I was always taught to trust the process,” Blue said Thursday. “Me being the young guy, and I think having (Bijan Robinson), (Roschon Johnson), Keilan (Robinson), and (Jonathon Brooks) in front of me helped me a lot. I’ll use JB as an example. His first two years, he didn’t really play much. He played last year and was probably the best running back in the country and it changed his whole life.”
The process has led Blue to this point, one where he’s drawing rave reviews along with CJ Baxter for a strong spring carrying and catching the ball out of the backfield. He’s remained patient working under Tashard Choice, and that patience is primed to pay off.
“The thing for me in seeing that is just stay patient,” Blue said. “Whenever it’s my time, I’ll show up.”
Showed up he has. Blue now checks in just over 200 pounds, up from the 193 or so he said he played at last year. He’s paired that size with speed that’s been recorded at 22.3 mph.
Becoming more durable was one goal for Blue during the offseason. But so too was improving in the finer points of the position.
“The main thing for me was to get bigger and stronger,” Blue said. “I’ve gained some weight to help that. One of the things was being better with my eyes. That was one of my downfalls last year. And, really, just my strength.”
He’s applying those lessons as he eyes an increased workload in 2024.
“I learned from the older kids, which helped me mature more,” Blue said. “I started seeing things that they did that I could do to help me. I think part of it is just me being older and seeing the guys in front of me that have done it for a while. I think that’s part of the reason.”
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Blue was rarely used during the first part of the 2023 season, appearing in blowouts and on occasion for a change of pace. After Brooks’ season ending injury, Blue became a fixture in the offense. He tallied at least 10 touches in each of the Longhorns’ final four games.
He made important plays in each of those contests. His short carry that earned a first down late versus Iowa State sealed the victory for the Horns. He rushed for 121 yards against Texas Tech, including the 69-yard score seen above. He had a touchdown reception against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship. Finally, he made several plays for the Longhorns down the stretch as they tried to mount a comeback against Washington.
He finished with 65 carries for 398 yards and three scores, plus a receiving touchdown. He’s likely to have more than that this season.
Blue is likely to split carries with Baxter. That’s not something he minds at all. In fact, he believes it could help the Longhorns record historic accomplishments on the ground.
“We talk about it sometimes,” Blue said. “We know that we have the ability to be the best running back duo in the country. We just want to feed off each other and help each other be great.”
Even with lofty goals for the fall, Blue knows the spring is important for his development. Still, he’s enjoying every moment as he continues to draw compliments for his play.
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“It’s just been a fun ride in the spring so far,” Blue said.
