Has Texas Longhorns RB Quintrevion Wisner Earned Starting Job?

Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner had a career day against the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oct 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) breaks a run for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images / Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

DALLAS -- The Texas Longhorns' running back room has been a hot topic of conversation since before the season started. Season-ending injuries from Cedric Baxter and Christian Clark immediately created questions about both the depth at that position and if Jaydon Blue was ready for a larger workload.

But six games into the season, it's Quintrevion Wisner -- primarily a contributor on special teams last year -- that has made his case to be the team's starting running back.

Wisner, who took over the backfield in the second half against Mississippi State after Blue lost two fumbles, handled the reins once again in Saturday's 34-3 win over the Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas. He finished with 13 carries for a career-high 118 yards and a touchdown while adding four catches for 12 yards. He ripped off runs of 36 and 43 yards in the second quarter. He fumbled at the goal line on the first long run, but Silas Bolden had his back and recovered the ball in the end zone. Wisner quickly made up for it with the 43-yard score on the first play of the next possession.

Wisner now leads the Longhorns with 278 rushing yards so far this season. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was asked after the game if he has earned the right to be the starter over Jaydon Blue moving forward, but didn't give a yes or no answer. Instead, Sarkisian said that the offense will continue to ride the hot hand. Against Oklahoma, that just so happened to be Wisner.

"Tre Wisner, Jayden Blue, Ryan Niblett, Jerrick Gibson. Each game has been a kind of a different guy that has shown up that we've needed to go win that game at the running back position," Sarkisian said. "Week in and week out, we prepare our guys to play, and then by the end of the week, it's like, 'Okay, what's the plan?' To feature who, when and how, and put them in the best position to have some success. And so today, Tre wasn't planning on coming and being the feature back, but you can feel his presence on the field. And that was the hand that we went with to try to go solidify the win. Different weeks has been different guys, and I don't think that part is going to change."

If you want to count Ryan Wingo's 55-yard rushing total in the win over Michigan, the Longhorns have had a different leading rusher in four games this season. But if Wisner continues to maintain a hot hand, he'll be the team's leading rusher game in and game out.

The Longhorns will host the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT.