Brooks coming into his own as top rusher
AUSTIN — For two years, Jonathon Brooks’ name was hidden in the back of Texas’ running back depth chart.
With a certified star like Bijan Robinson in the Longhorns’ arsenal, it made sense that Brooks didn’t receive too much playing time. Robinson had 258 carries last season. Then-senior running back Roschon Johnson had the second most on the team with 93 carries. Brooks had 30.
Now that Robinson and Johnson are in the NFL, RB1 duties have seemingly fallen into Brooks’ lap.
Five-star freshman Cedric “CJ” Baxter and Brooks were listed as co-starters on the first depth chart for the Rice game, but Baxter ultimately got the start.
Baxter was pulled early from the Rice contest due to a rib injury. However, he was good to go for the Alabama game. Baxter then suffered a leg injury against the Crimson Tide and did not play against Wyoming as a precaution.
“As the season got into the season, we felt like Cedric had earned the opportunity to be the first back out,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday. “Things have shifted some, and now Jonathon is the first guy out here for a couple of weeks, and he’s playing really good football for us.”
The sophomore running back scored first against Baylor on Saturday with a 40-yard run.
“I thought he set the tone for us the other night with that long touchdown run,” Sarkisian said. “I think he surprised a lot of people.”
Although others might have been shocked by his abilities, Brooks’ teammates were not.
“We know what he’s capable of,” Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers said after the Longhorns improved to 4-0 with their 38-6 win over the Bears. “And I think he showed out tonight.”
Brooks was already showing his explosiveness toward the end of last season, logging two touchdowns and 108 rushing yards on 11 carries against Kansas on Nov. 19. Brooks also scored against Washington in last year’s Alamo Bowl, and Robinson and Johnson were the first two teammates to congratulate him on his touchdown.
“I think he got a great experience his first two years here playing with Bijan and Roschon,” Sarkisian said about Robinson and Johnson’s impact on Brooks. “One, the type of teammates they were; two, the leadership they proved; three, the work ethic that they played with; and then four, the skill set.”
Brooks enters this week’s rematch against Kansas (4-0) with 379 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry. And now that he’s a veteran running back himself, Brooks has fully embraced the type of leadership role that Robinson and Johnson once had.
“(Brooks) this year was on our leadership committee because he does things the right way,” Sarkisian said. “He’s got a great demeanor about him. He’s a worker. He’s a very reliable young man.”
Even though he’s getting increased playing time now, Brooks is not worried about how much he touches the ball.
“Whether I get the ball one or 20 times, it doesn’t matter,” he said after the Baylor win. “Like I said before the season, I just want to do my part. I feel like whenever I get the ball, I just (have to) do what I can.”