With Texas RBs hit by injuries, the Horns are leaning on Jerrick Gibson, the ‘Baby Rhino’

The freshman from Florida is suddenly in the spotlight with four scholarship running backs out for the season or banged up.

AUSTIN, Texas — When Texas Longhorns freshman running back Jerrick Gibson committed to position coach Tashard Choice in the summer of 2023, the path to early playing time on the Forty Acres looked difficult.

Jonathon Brooks still had two years of eligibility. The nation’s No. 1 running back in the 2023 class, CJ Baxter, had already been on campus since January. The position room also featured sophomore speedster Jaydon Blue, freshman Tre Wisner, and sophomore Savion Red.

Even when Gibson enrolled in January in the wake of Brooks declaring early for the 2024 NFL Draft, he spent the spring competing with Red and fellow early enrollee Christian Clark for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart behind Baxter, Blue, and Wisner.

But now, with the final non-conference game against Louisiana-Monroe looming on Saturday in Austin, Gibson is likely to receive his first college start as injuries have decimated the running back room — Baxter and Clark are out for the season after sustaining injures in preseason camp, Blue suffered an ankle sprain against Michigan that caused him to miss last Saturday’s win over UTSA, and Wisner “tweaked” something in the last game that caused him not to return.

So, since Blue and Wisner were both listed as “game-time decisions” by Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian on Thursday and a cautious approach warranted by the opponent and need to manage health at the position, Gibson will play a key role for the Longhorns with the potential to surpass the 13 carries he received against the Roadrunners.

“As Cedric got hurt, then Christian got hurt, and then Jaydon got hurt, he kept moving himself up the depth chart and the carries started to come and the responsibility started to rise — pass protection, things that nature — it never really feels too big for Jerrick, because I think he loves the game, he works extremely hard, he’s hard on himself, I would say sometimes maybe a little too hard on himself, but that’s just because he wants to play really well and wants to do right,” Sarkisian said.

A 5’10, 205-pounder from Gainesville who spent his final two high school seasons at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Gibson runs bigger than his listed size, so it was no surprise to hear Sarkisian run out a list of associated attributes in describing his young running back on Thursday — tough and hard nosed with a blue-collar mentality.

Playing for Choice requires those traits, because he pushes his players hard, but Gibson loves football, according to Sarkisian, and is willing to be coached hard. Through 33 carries over three games, there’s no question that Gibson runs hard.

“I’ve never seen the guy shy away from contact, shy away from anything, shy away from another carry,” Sarkisian said.

Gibson’s youth and desire for contact has earned him a nickname from the coaching staff — “Baby Rhino.”

“We’ve kind of nicknamed him the baby rhino, because he will find contact. We’re hoping maybe he can make a couple guys miss here Saturday night,” Sarkisian said.

In rushing 13 times for 75 yards against UTSA, both game highs for Texas, Gibson showcased his desire to find contact late in the first quarter on an 11-yard run, his longest of the game.

It’s part of the learning curve for Gibson, still at the more robotic stage of his development under Choice.

“It’s going to be okay for him to make a guy miss and try to score a touchdown, but right now Coach Choice has got him, like red dot on something, then running right at it,” Sarkisian said on Monday.

Pro Football Focus credited Gibson with four missed tackles forced against UTSA and 93 of his 178 rushing yards coming after contact, including 49 yards in the win over the Roadrunners for an average of 3.77 yards after contact per rushing attempt.

It’s a profile that makes Gibson effective in the red zone — of the 68 rushing yards for the Horns inside the opposing 20-yard line, Gibson has 59 of them, gaining four first downs, rushing for two touchdowns, and averaging 4.9 yards per carry.

Gibson’s early success in the red area ensures a role for him moving forward, but the myriad injuries at the position and likelihood the knocks will keep coming during what could be an NFL-length season for Texas means that the baby rhino will keep having plenty of opportunities to grow up in real time on a large stage.