Longhorns RB Jaydon Blue Named To Paul Hornung Award Watch List

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue is up for a coveted award this fall.

Matt Galatzan | Aug 1, 2024

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) makes a catch for a first down during the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff semifinals game against the Washington Huskies at the Caesars Superdome on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Texas Longhorns

The Texas Longhorns have one of the best running back duos in the nation heading into the 2024 season.

With CJ Baxter leading the way as the 'thunder' and Jaydon Blue complimenting him as the 'lightning' Texas should be in good hands this fall.

However, Blue is more than just your traditional fast running back. He is also an incredibly versatile part of the offense and can make an impact in any number of ways, as long as he has the ball in his hands.

As a result of that versatility, Blue is now getting some recognition, being named to the Paul Hornung Award preseason watch list on Thursday, which is given annually to the most versatile player in college football.

Blue rushed just 15 times for 33 yards across three games as a freshman but stepped up into a key RB3 role for the Texas backfield this past season. However, after starting running back Jonathon Brooks went down with a season-ending ACL tear, both Blue and Baxter had to step in as a complementary duo in place of the workhorse-like load Brooks had in the offense.

Blue finished 2023 with 65 carries for 398 yards and three touchdowns along with 14 catches for 135 yards and another score.

This was highlighted by the career-high 121 yards on 10 carries he had in a win over Texas Tech. Blue ended the season with a touchdown in three straight games, including in the College Football Playoff loss to Washington.

Now heading into the new season as part of one of the best one-two punches in the country, he has a chance to have an even bigger impact.

Published Aug 1, 2024

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com, AllAggies.com, and the Managing Editor of BuckeyesNow.com and TheGroveReport.com He is also the Editor-In-Chief of RamDigest.com and TexansDaily.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network. When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered. Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com