What does CJ Baxter's knee injury mean for Steve Sarkisian’s offense? Closer look at Texas RB's medical condition 

Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter suffered a knee injury during practice on Tuesday. The sophomore running back is set to undergo an MRI in order to determine the severity.

However, there is a bit of optimism around Baxter's injury as he said he did not feel a pop and Texas is hoping the injury is minor and he won't be out of action for a long time.

If Baxter is out for a long time, how does that impact Steve Sarkisian's offense?

What does CJ Baxter's knee injury mean for Steve Sarkisian’s offense?

CJ Baxter was supposed to be part of the one-two punch with Jonathan Brooks in the backfield for the Texas Longhorns. Baxter was also praised as the best running back Nick Saban saw in all of college football last season.

“I’m gonna alleviate some of your concerns because I know you’ve got seven wideouts that all can play,” Saban told Sarkisian (via On3). “I know you’ve got three quarterbacks that all can play.

"Baxter was the best running back I saw of any team, aight, so you’re gonna be able to run the ball. If you can run it, you can always do better in the red zone. I’m just gonna do a little coaching clinic here just in case.”

Baxter was set to complement Brooks who is coming off a torn ACL, but early in the season, Baxter would have likely gotten the bulk of the carries. Last season, he rushed for 659 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman.

Meanwhile, Baxter ran for a season-high 117 yards in Texas' first game after losing Brooks to a torn ACL.

If Baxter is indeed out for a long time, it will hinder the Longhorns' running game as it's uncertain how Brooks will look coming off a torn ACL.

If CJ Baxter can't go, third-year running back Jaydon Blue would likely be the Longhorns starting running back in Week 1. Blue rushed for 398 yards and three touchdowns, but he hasn't been a starter in college before, so it's uncertain how he would handle getting that many carries every game.

Texas will open its 2024 college football season on Aug. 31 against Colorado State. The Longhorns have notable games against Michigan, Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida and Texas A&M.