After a full year away from play, Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter has finally stepped back into the spotlight—both physically and emotionally—sharing a candid look into his grueling recovery from a devastating knee injury that cost him the entire 2024 season. Speaking publicly for the first time in 378 days, Baxter reflected on the mental anguish, spiritual growth, and renewed determination that marked a year on the sidelines.
The injury struck early in preseason camp last August when Baxter, then a redshirt sophomore, suffered tears to his ACL and LCL. The severity was such that it required immediate surgery and a prolonged rehabilitation period, though fortunately his PCL remained intact.
Baxter doesn’t sugarcoat it: “The first two months were very brutal mentally,” he admitted. “Watching the games from the couch … it was hard for me to watch football. It was hard to do a lot of things.” Yet, he found a silver lining in his forced downtime. “I’m not glad that I got injured,” he said, “but I’m grateful for what it did for me mentally, physically, spiritually.”
Despite being unable to contribute on the field, Baxter remained deeply involved. He immersed himself in film study, dissected playbooks, and served as a mentor to the younger backs like Jaydon Blue and Jerrick Gibson—offering insights drawn from both personal experience and his time on the field. “I know what they’re thinking,” he said. “Just little stuff.”
His resilience didn’t just impress his teammates—it caught the eye of the coaching staff too. During the summer, Baxter passed multiple milestones, participating in drills, stacking consecutive practice days, and running with physicality that surprised even Head Coach Steve Sarkisian. “He had a couple of runs that were encouraging to me,” Sarkisian said.
The timing couldn’t be more poignant. Baxter’s comeback is intertwined with the triumph of his girlfriend, Mia Scott—a former Texas softball star who captured a national title while battling her own knee injury. Baxter credits her tenacity and grit for fueling his own rehabilitation: her championship trophy even rests on his nightstand as a daily reminder of what’s possible.
Looking ahead, Baxter may not start season-opening against Ohio State on August 30, but there’s a quiet confidence that he’s more than ready when the opportunity arises. Sarkisian reassures that the Longhorns will only field Baxter when he’s fully prepared—emphasizing patience over haste.
In a depth chart crowded with talented backs—Quintrevion Wisner, Jerrick Gibson, Christian Clark, Rickey Stewart Jr., and James Simon—Baxter’s return adds a potent, promising piece. Wisner’s breakout 2024 season demonstrated what this backfield can look like, and now Baxter hopes to reignite his part of the dynamic duo.
One day at a time, one meeting at a time, Baxter insisted, “I’m grateful to be out there. I do get a feeling I’m going to definitely make my plays when my number’s called.”
