Days after a dominant 23–6 win over Oklahoma, which saw the Longhorns regain rhythm with 302 total yards of offense, Sarkisian now faces roster turbulence following the departures of two key players, running back Jerrick Gibson and senior kicker Will Stone. Now, this sudden move has compelled Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian to make some mid-season adjustments to preserve stability around Arch Manning’s offense.

RB Jerrick Gibson and senior kicker Will Stone left the program, as they wanted to redshirt and transfer. Despite the loss, Sarkisian expressed confidence in the team’s depth at running back and made quick adjustments to stabilize the rotation. Sarkisian said, “Who will take those carries is everybody, whether that’s Tre, whether that’s Christian, whether that’s James, whether that’s Cedric when he gets back. We’ve got ample bodies; we should be okay in that aspect.” 

It was reported that the true freshman WR Michael Terry has begun training with the running backs to help offset the loss. Sarkisian called the 6-foot-2.5, 225-pound freshman to the campus to check the best fit, as he was huge. Terry could be considered for the slot receiver role, with a body frame like Lil’Jordan Humphrey, but Steve Sarkisian thinks differently. As of now, there is a high possibility of Terry growing as a tight end to fulfill ‘H-back’ duties.

Insiders also report that Ryan Niblett, who previously spent time at receiver and on special teams, has joined the running back group in practice, another signal of Sarkisian’s willingness to experiment with personnel while awaiting the return of Cedric Baxter, the sophomore RB sidelined with injury.

Baxter’s physical, downhill running style complements Wisner’s agility and east-west movement, giving Texas a more balanced ground attack. Together, they can ease pressure on Arch Manning, who continues to mature as the offensive centerpiece of Sarkisian’s system.

Beyond the immediate roster reshuffling, Sarkisian used Wednesday’s teleconference to address a broader concern

Steve Sarkisian Advocates Five-for-Five Eligibility Rule

Following the unlikely departure, Steve Sarkisian, on the SEC coaches teleconference call on Wednesday, showed his support for the Five-for-Five rule proposal to the NCAA, to avoid this kind of mid-season departure. This eligibility rule will allow the coaches and players for the lone transfer window in January.

“I’ve been an advocate for five for five,” Sarkisian said. “I’ve said it all along, I think it’s a terrible position to put these players in to make these decisions right now. There’s money involved, there’s revenue sharing, there’s NIL, there’s different factors, and I think it’s putting agents and family members and student athletes in a difficult position to make business decisions in the middle of the season, but that’s where we’re at.”

“I’m not really here to complain about it. That’s just the reality of the situation we’re in, so when a player asks to do that, I thank them for their time, and I wish them the best of luck,” Sarkisian said. “What else are we supposed to do at that juncture? These are the rules that we’ve put in place, and so we’ve got to operate within the parameters of the rules.”

Keeping a pragmatic outlook, Sarkisian remarked that flexibility is now as important as recruiting. Managing rosters has become a balancing act between honoring player autonomy and maintaining team cohesion.