Three Texas Longhorns Are Game-Time Decisions vs. ULM

The Texas Longhorns are dealing with injury issues outside of Quinn Ewers.

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) carries the ball forward as the Texas Longhorns take on Colorado State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

AUSTIN -- Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian met with the media via Zoom on Thursday and shared some big news, confirming that Arch Manning will get his first-career start against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday while also revealing that Quinn Ewers is trending up after exiting last week's win over UTSA with an oblique injury.

Overshadowed a bit by these announcements was Sarkisian providing some more injury updates for running backs Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner and defensive back Jelani McDonald. Blue and McDonald were ruled out prior to kickoff against the Roadrunners while Wisner exited with an injury and didn't return to the game.

Sarkisian said that all three players will be game-time decisions but clarified that each of their injury severities are varying.

"They're all limited to some degree," Sarkisian said. "I think all those guys would kind of be game-time decisions at varying degrees. I feel better about maybe a couple of them than another one. But again, we've got two full days, and really two-and-a-half days until kickoff, so (we'll) see how healthy we can get those guys and then potentially what we can get out of them."

Blue injured his ankle in the first half of the 31-12 win over Michigan but returned before halftime after getting looked at by the medical staff. He finished with nine carries for 22 yards along with six catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.

If Wisner and Blue are both unable to go, the Longhorns will rely on a backfield of Jerrick Gibson, Ryan Niblett, Velton Gardner and Colin Page. Gibson, a true freshman, is the team's leading rusher three games into the season with 33 carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

As for McDonald, he has four total tackles in two games this season.

No. 1 Texas will kick off against ULM on Saturday at 7 p.m. CT.