CJ Baxter

[flyingtank19]

Hey @Gerry Hamilton I haven’t been able to attend a live stream to ask this and it has been on my mind for a while. If Baxter comes back next year do you think we could see the guy that was getting compared to great running backs before his injury occurred or is that not going to happen at Texas?

[OTFBrandon]

I think Baxter is due, dude has been banged up all season. This offseason is the perfect time to rehab everything about himself and his game. Same with Derrick Williams, I think he’s due. Guy was a stud before the injury.

[snugsie]

Baxter is a shell if himself. He really needs to get in the portal.

[hookemholds]

I think Baxter could be great next year, I feel like everyone has just given up on him 🤷‍♂️ 

[drag worm]

Great person. Needs to find a fresh start somewhere or stick around as a culture fit. But if we are relying on him to be a difference maker against Ohio state in game two that would be an unthinkable mistake. 

[cmk4pres]

He isn't coming back

[Bobbers]

He is Jonathan Gray part 2 unfortunately.  Although he didn't have the knee injury he is just never healthy and can't seem to get going.  I'm not sure I've ever seen a football player who gets dinged up so easily.

[Bobby Burton]

He clearly wasn’t fully healed this year. What he will be next year is all about if he can recover some of the explosiveness he once had.

[Sundancekid]

38 minutes ago, cmk4pres said:

He isn't coming back

Do you have some info you wish to share? I haven’t heard anything conclusive. He will look a lot different in the fall if he can stay healthy. He might have to take a pay cut but may want to graduate from here.

[John F.]

I could see him having a role in the RB room but counting on him to be in the top two would be a mistake. Seems like a great guy and hope he can fully get right but hope isn’t a strategy as they say. Not sure how having him be lower on the depth chart will work out with NIL. Also don’t know what his value would be in the portal market. Tough spot for him

Edited 14 hours ago by John F.

[Chris Evans]

Baxter lost all his juice. Poor kid. Good dude. 

[Thanos72]

The business part says he’d need to accept a decrease in NIL to stay here. The bigger problem is sark. He finds guys he “loves” and just sticks with them. Simon looked promising and then never got any run. If he comes back, I can’t imagine sark not playing him. Last year should have year 1 for manning. That defense was perfect for a qb on a learning curve. We probably beat OSU and Fl with that defense but he let qe come back.

We do this every year on offense. He simply doesn’t play many folks. That’s why we keep missing out on receivers and having so many upper classmen with little game experience on offense. Very frustrating.

[Ace Recruiter]

These recoveries take time. Some are able to come back quickly, some make longer. I hope he can continue to improve and get closer to the player he was before the injury. He's done everything right. If he wants yo come back, he should be welcomed.

[NothinButDaHorns34]

This has become a business, injury prone while coming off of a major injury is bad for business so i am hoping portal. 

[GQ03]

44 minutes ago, Ace Recruiter said:

These recoveries take time. Some are able to come back quickly, some make longer. I hope he can continue to improve and get closer to the player he was before the injury. He's done everything right. If he wants yo come back, he should be welcomed.

I agree but as RB4 at best.

If he can accept that role then I'm glad to have him back if not then the portal is right there.

[Steamboat Willie]

Definitely wasn’t fully recovered this year, the question becomes: will he ever return to his pre-injury form?

[Texasborn91]

51 minutes ago, Ace Recruiter said:

These recoveries take time. Some are able to come back quickly, some make longer. I hope he can continue to improve and get closer to the player he was before the injury. He's done everything right. If he wants yo come back, he should be welcomed.

If he wants to try to get him some self found NIL and graduates from UT you welcome him back as RB4. This dude was almost unplayable this year and didn’t break one tackle. 

[watty7796]

CBs injury usually takes a few years 2 or 3 to recover from if he recovers fully.  It was a miracle he was able to play this season with any productivity.   I would be very hesitant to short sell this young man imo.  I would def give him 1 more year before making a decision either way.

 

• Multi-ligament injuries (PCL/LCL): Significantly longer, potentially over a year for high-level athletes, with lower rates of return to prior performance, especially for pivoting sports. 

Edited 9 hours ago by watty7796
Spell3

[cmk4pres]

6 hours ago, Sundancekid said:

Do you have some info you wish to share? I haven’t heard anything conclusive. He will look a lot different in the fall if he can stay healthy. He might have to take a pay cut but may want to graduate from here.

Lets just say someone in the know says "he is gone. Looking for a fresh start closer to home."

[Red Five]

28 minutes ago, cmk4pres said:

Lets just say someone in the know says "he is gone. Looking for a fresh start closer to home."

This is best for both parties. I can't imagine how much he would have to improve before having a role on next year's team. Dude averaged 2.8 YPC in conference games this year. 

[Red Five]

1 hour ago, watty7796 said:

It was a miracle he was able to play this season with any productivity. 

umm...

[A-10HORN]

If he wants to stay (which I’d love) he needs to take a major NIL pay cut 

[watty7796]

29 minutes ago, Red Five said:

umm...

Still averaged 3.6 pc and was the best pass blocker in the backfield.  Def did not have the same explosive pop he had prior to injury, but he did get back on the field ahead of schedule.  If his recovery continues at the rate it has so far I would not be suprised if he regains 80 to 90% of that back by week 1 of the 26 season.  Just my humble opinion.

[Red Five]

45 minutes ago, watty7796 said:

Still averaged 3.6 pc

You say that as if it is a good thing, or anywhere remotely close to good. Like saying that a basketball player "still shot 20% from the field". 

[watty7796]

5 hours ago, Red Five said:

You say that as if it is a good thing, or anywhere remotely close to good. Like saying that a basketball player "still shot 20% from the field". 

Rushing

Name

Q. Wisner RB C. Baxter RB J. Gibson RB

C. Clark RB J. Simon RB

 

There is your list by production... Gibson, Simon, Wisner likely gone...you have 2 coming in.  Still minus 1 if that happens.  Baxter has put it on the line and done everything he could to get back even though hes likely nowhere near 100%.  Will he regain 100% of what he was?? 50 50 shot.  Baxter would be the only back with substantial experience and hes likely to get better maybe even significantly so.  It would be a very impatient approach to offload a back that could potentially be very productive, with no question about work ethic or how he fits with the team, and the only back with substantial experience.  And if you gave me a shooter that only hit 20% but likely hits 50% the next year...you bet im keeping him around.