Wingo's explosive game-breaking potential reassures Texas fans as the star receiver's injury appears manageable ahead of the crucial playoff push.
It took exactly one play for Ryan Wingo to get 75 yards against Vanderbilt.
And no, I don’t mean it took a reception after a couple of snaps, I literally mean one play for the entire offense. As the weeks have passed for Texas fans, one thing that has become increasingly clear is that if you get Wingo the ball in open space, he’ll do otherworldly things with it. Case in point, the 75-yard reception that was almost entirely run after the catch.
Unfortunately, on the third drive against Vanderbilt, Wingo caught a pass that went for 14 yards and then quickly hurried to the sidelines. For fans who watched on TV, they may have noticed that his thumb looked a little unusual, possibly even broken. And for a second, it seemed that Texas’ number one receiver over the past few weeks would miss significant time.
However, Sarkisian somewhat put those rumors to rest in the post-game press conference, stating that in an emergency situation, Wingo “could have went back in”. Later in the week, Sarkisian confirmed that while Wingo may practice at a full capacity this week, he’s not expected to miss any time.
“I’m going to limit him, probably. I don’t know how much he’s really going to practice this week,” Sarkisian said. “Quite frankly, I just want him to get as healthy as we can get him. We don’t think he’s going to miss time, but I don’t think he’ll be 100% either.”
While the news that Wingo may not be playing at 100% is disheartening, the bright side is that Texas is entering its second bye week of the season. This gives Wingo just a little bit of extra time to nurse the injured thumb. As for the full extent of Wingo’s injury, that remains unknown. Regardless, signs point to it being a dislocation or severe jam, rather than a full break.
Wingo is coming off one of the best stretches of games he’s seen all season. Over the past two weeks alone, he’s recorded 273 receiving yards on 7 catches for an eye-popping 39 yards per reception.
With Wingo emerging as one of Texas’ most explosive weapons, his health will be crucial heading into the final stretch. Even at less than full strength, his ability to turn short-yardage plays into game-changing moments makes him indispensable to the offense. If available against Georgia, he could end up being the difference.