Wednesdays mean the first SEC-mandated injury report for the weekend’s conference games, including the No. 22 Texas Longhorns against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Starkville.
As expected, Texas will
be without redshirt senior safety Michael Taaffe after the team leader underwent thumb surgery on Monday for an injury sustained during Saturday’s win over Kentucky in Lexington. During the SEC coaches teleconference call on Wednesday, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said that he doesn’t know when Taaffe will return, but Horns247 reported on Tuesday that the former walk on could return after missing two games.
Also out are redshirt freshman wide receiver Aaron Butler and senior center Cole Hutson, who will miss a second straight game after suffering an injury to his left leg during practice last week that left him watching the Kentucky game walking on crutches while wearing a large brace.
Three more players are listed as probable — redshirt sophomore running back CJ Baxter, redshirt freshman safety Xavier Filsaime, and freshman nickel back Jonathan Cunningham.
Baxter hasn’t played since injuring his hamstring on the first play from scrimmage against UTEP, but is “progressing well” this week, Sarkisian said on Monday, including practicing as Texas started its preparation for Mississippi State.
The status of Filsaime is of increasing importance in the wake of Taaffe’s broken thumb since the McKinney product missed the last game and junior Derek Williams has only played 88 snaps in his return from a season-ending knee injury, including three snaps in the loss to Florida.
For Mississippi State, the most significant news is the status of running back Fluff Bothwell, who is listed as questionable.
“Fluff’s going to be day-to-day,” Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby said on Monday. “I’m really thankful he’s had a great week. He had a great week last week from a rehab standpoint. I think it’s a real stretch that he’s ready. We’ll let the Wednesday report and so on speak to that as we get moving through the week.”
Bothwell was carted off the field in the loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 11 and was subsequently posted a picture to Instagram wearing brace on his right ankle. The South Alabama transfer is the team’s leading rusher with 84 carries for 465 yards and six touchdowns.
