Steve Sarkisian Provides Positive Texas Longhorns Injury Updates Ahead of Houston Cougars Matchup

Several injured Texas Longhorns made significant progress toward a return during the team's bye week.

AUSTIN - The Texas Longhorns bye week could not have come at a better time for the team. 

Following their heartbreaking defeat to the Oklahoma Sooners, Texas was not only reeling from the loss but suffering from injuries to multiple key contributors. 

And according to Steve Sarkisian, the bye week paid major dividends in terms of the team's overall health.

“I think the bye week was very good for us to hone in on some of the areas where we want to improve as a team," Sarkisian said. "We had some guys who were a little banged up after the first half of the season so to get them as healthy as we could get them that week I think was good."  

Specifically, Sarkisian noted that key players Ryan Watts, Ja'Tavion Sanders, Jake Majors, and Cole Hutson all practiced on Monday.

Watts and Hutson both missed the matchup vs. the Sooners due to their nagging injuries.

Meanwhile, Sanders and Majors both played against Oklahoma, with Sanders being limited in his impact due to his injury, and Majors missing the majority of the game after being knocked out early.

Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) is helped off the field by Texas staff in the first quarter of the Longhorns' game against the Kansas Jayhawks, Saturday, Sept. 30 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium / © Sara Diggins, Austin American-Statesman

“All of the guys practiced today,” Sarkisian said. “I think that’s probably the first part that’s really positive. Last week we really limited a lot of guys. We limited Jake to all about nothing. We limited (Sanders) to all about nothing. We limited Ryan to all about nothing. We really wanted to try and get them healthy. Today we came back and everybody practiced. Probably the most limited of the group was Cole Hutson, but they all practiced."

That said, that does not mean all four players will be available vs. Houston on Saturday.

In fact, Sarkisian intends to wait until observing their progress on Tuesday and Wednesday, to make sure they are ready to go before making a decision.

“As the week goes on, I’m going to have to make that decision later in the week of who is ready to play," Sarkisian said. "To be fair to them, I’ll give them that chance to really practice on Tuesday and Wednesday in our physical practices to make sure they’re in a position to perform and do it at a high level."

Nevertheless, Sarkisian was encouraged by what he saw on Monday and will reveal more as the week progresses.

“I was encouraged they were out there going, but as the week goes on I’ll have a cleaner update of who is going to be available Saturday," Sarkisian said. "Today was a really good sign.”

Texas and Houston are set to kickoff at 3 p.m. CT from TDECU Stadium.