Texas RB Derrek Cooper out for ‘foreseeable future’
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AUSTIN, Texas — There’s an opening for playing time in the Texas Longhorns running back rotation after head coach Steve Sarkisian revealed that freshman Derrek Cooper will be in a boot “for the foreseeable future” after suffering an ankle injury in the second quarter of the 59-7 win over the Texas State Bobcats on Saturday.
The 6’1, 212-pounder suffered the injury on a one-yard run and finished the game with two carries for six yards before heading into the locker room before halftime and emerging for the second half with a boot on his injured left ankle.
Listed third on the team’s depth chart behind senior Hollywood Smothers and fifth-year Raleek Brown, Cooper passed senior Ryan Niblett, sophomore Michael Terry III, and James Simon to earn early playing time with the Horns after arriving on the Forty Acres with high expectations as the team’s high-profile running back signee in the 2026 recruiting class.
Now Sarkisian and new running backs coach Jabbar Juluke may need someone else to step up for the next several weeks.
Terry is a 6’3, 229-pounder who started his career at wide receiver before moving to running back last fall. The San Antonio Alamo Heights product played seven snaps against Texas State, including in a two-back set, finishing with three carries for eight yards after receiving one carry last year that was stopped at the line of scrimmage in the Citrus Bowl win over Michigan.
Also a former wide receiver, Niblett has more experience with 112 career snaps, totaling 15 carries for 498 yards and touchdown and 11 catches for 84 yards. At 5’10, 189 pounds, Niblett is more of a gadget player who has struggled to find a role on offense after breaking out last year as a punt returner with two touchdowns. In seven snaps on Saturday, Niblett had two carries for 10 yards.
Despite sitting last on the depth chart, Simon was the most effective on Saturday, scoring on a late seven-yard touchdown run in finishing with three carries for 18 yards. As a freshman, Simon had 19 carries for 122 yards, flashing some juice as a runner.
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