Texas RB Derrek Cooper Dealt Bad News Injury Update from Steve Sarkisian

Texas running back Derrek Cooper was out for the remainder of the game and seen with a walking boot on the Longhorns sideline as the No. 5 team in the country rolled to a blowout win over Texas State.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian likely wanted the highly-touted freshman to get more opportunities and reps with the outcome not in doubt, but the injury update to begin a big week of preparation is not a positive one.

Sarkisian announced that Cooper will be in the boot with an ankle injury "for the forseeable future."

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The former 5-star recruit went down in the second quarter and finished the game with six yards on two carries. Sarkisian said in his Week 2 press conference ahead of the upcoming Ohio State matchup that he was happy to get more than 50 players on the field in the first half, but now the Horns will be without the current RB3 on the depth chart.

Cooper had surpassed veteran Swiss-army knifes Ryan Niblett and Michael Terry III to become the third ball-carrier behind primary starters Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown.

In hindsight, the two atop the depth chart here still gives Texas one of the best running back committees in the nation.

Smothers broke out a 45-yard spring in his first carry of the season. The NC State transfer recorded 70 rushing yards on 10 carries. Brown, a newcomer from Arizona State, rushed for 34 yards on nine carries. Simon James also got touches out of the backfield for a Longhorns team that posted 180 yards on the ground overall.

While the numbers were good, Sarkisian explained that multiple parties on the Texas offense could have created better blocking lanes for running backs, and the rushes could have done less "dancing" to hit those holes.

The coach says those adjustments will be crucial going into a game against a defense that is led by former NFL head coach Matt Patricia.

Cooper, an imposing 6-1 212-pound back, impressed Sarkisian during his fall introduction to the program.

"I really love D-Coop. He’s a hard-charging guy," Sarkisian said during fall camp. "He plays physical. He plays fast. He’s a very natural football player."

Cooper was ranked the No. 1 overall running back in the 2026 high school class by ESPN. The Miami native took home his player of the year honors in his county, competed in the Under Armour All-American showcase as a junior, and rushed for 963 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior at Chaminade Madonna Prep.

When Sarkisian says "natural football player," Cooper proves that testament with his defensive skills from high school, where he also completed 46 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks last year.

"He played defense, he played offense, whatever was needed to be successful, so the game comes pretty naturally to him," Sarkisian explained.

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Cooper brings an SEC-ready physique into his first full season. That, paired with his intellect and determination to get better, has put pressure on Sarkisian to get him touches very early in the season. The advantage there is that Cooper will enter the NCAA with five years of eligibility due to the new rules, so there is no need to worry about playing him only four games to protect a redshirt.

"His understanding of the offense has been very impressive for a young player," Sark said this offseason. "I think his physicality, the speed in which he plays the game, has been very impressive."

The Longhorns will test their speed against the top-ranked Buckeyes with just Smothers and Brown headlining the backfield this week in Austin.