'All options' available at running back for Texas Longhorns, including transfer portal

AUSTIN (KXAN) — There are less than two weeks before the Texas Longhorns begin the 2024 college football season, and while the coaching staff feels comfortable with the healthy running backs the Longhorns have, they wouldn't be opposed to adding another player from the transfer portal.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday he's "looking at all options" when it comes to rebuilding depth at the position following season-ending knee injuries to projected starter CJ Baxter and freshman Christian Clark. Classes haven't started at Texas yet, but Sarkisian said if the Longhorns brought in a transfer, it probably wouldn't be a traditional one.

"This late in the game it's probably a graduate transfer, something of that sort," he said. ""We're looking at all of our options there again. We don't want to take a body just to take a body. If it's someone who can help us in some capacity, maybe a limited role or a bigger role, whatever that is, we're looking at all options that way."

Being a little thin in the backfield with three scholarship players doesn't mean Sarkisian will give the ball carriers no-contact jerseys. He said while coaches don't necessarily want the backs to get taken to the ground, they need to be "thudded." That means defenders can give them a solid hit and try to force a fumble but not complete the tackle to bring someone down. Thud tackling during live periods is very common, especially in training camp.

"It's not a whole lot different than what we normally do," Sarkisian said. "They need to get hit, they need the strip attempts and the punch-out opportunities by the defense as they learn to take care of the ball, But again, we don't really want them to go the ground and take unnecessary hits and falls. Our practices are still very physical."

Earlier in training camp, Sarkisian said he'd look around other position groups and perhaps move someone to the backfield. One of the players who had some reps was redshirt freshman wide receiver Ryan Niblett, but Sarkisian said following the team's second scrimmage of camp Saturday that he's working his way into the receiver rotation.

"As I said, we have six guys I feel very comfortable with playing in the games, and coming out of Saturday, I'd say seven now. Ryan Niblett has really come on in the last week," Sarkisian said. "Not only offensively, but also on special team. I told him today on the field that I was really proud of him because he just continued to work, so we're comfortable that way. It's about finding the right combination of guys on the field now."

How are the players in this scorching August heat?

With Aug. 31 on the horizon, Sarkisian and the rest of the Longhorns know it's going to be a sweltering start to the 2024 season. It has been a balancing act all training camp for the coaches to give the players a chance to get acclimated to the heat, but at the same time, keep them safe from cramps and potential heat-related illnesses. Texas kicks off against the Colorado State Rams at 2:30 p.m. from DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, so they'll be playing under the sizzling Central Texas sun.

"Our guys have responded really well to the heat," he said. "When we went at 2:30 the first two days, you have the double-digit cramp guys, but the past two weeks, I haven't seen anyone with cramps. We;'re being very mindful with our approach to that, but I think it's important to expose our guys to it. I'd be doing them a disservice if I never practiced at 2:30 and then trotted out to DKR on Aug. 31 and expect them to perform at a high level."

Sarkisian is also trying to get the players into their typical routine during game week, even though they aren't in class yet. Saturday's scrimmage will be what he calls a "mock game" where they'll go over situations and scenarios they could see against the Rams, but it's also a time to get the players into the swing of things.

Sark calls NFL coaches for advice

There's a high level of camaraderie in the coaching business, and Sarkisian isn't afraid to dial up some of the game's best minds to have a chat. With the College Football Playoff adding potentially four more games to the team's schedule, it's just about the length of the NFL season. That means there's that much more time for players to get dinged up, fatigue to set in and generally be worn down. Sarkisian said he's talked to high-profile NFL coaches and picked their brains about roster management strategies.

He said he's talked to Andy Reid, Bill Belichick, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay about how to prepare his players for the grind this season could end up being.

"I'm hopeful we play good football all year and that we're fresh and fast," he said. "I think that's a big asset of ours, our team speed, and I don't want to lose that by overworking our guys. But I also want to make sure that we keep our edge."