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Less than a week after running back CJ Baxter suffered a season-ending right knee injury, Texas lost another key member of its backfield as Christian Clark sustained a torn Achilles tendon on Monday and will miss the season.

Clark, a freshman, suffered the injury at practice and will undergo surgery, the team confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.

With Clark and Baxter done for the season, the trio of Tre Wisner, Jerrick Gibson and Jaydon Blue will be relied on to handle running back duties for the Longhorns.

“We’re looking at some different options, and I think we’re looking at it creatively, whether it’s a couple of guys on the offensive side of the ball, a potential player on the defensive side of the ball, or two, for that matter,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday. ” … So we’re kind of taking it day by day again. We’ve got plenty of time. We’re just trying to get a sense and a feel of how, not only will they play on offense at runner, but how does that impact us at other positions if we take a player.”

Clark, a three-star recruit in the Class of 2024 out of Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, chose Texas over Georgia, Oregon, Alabama and Florida State. From 2021-23, he totaled 1,890 rushing yards on 318 carries and scored 24 touchdowns. He also had 54 catches for 553 yards and five TDs.

Texas kicks off its first season in the SEC on Aug. 31 at home against Colorado State.

–Field Level Media