Jaydon Blue wasn't needed for the second half, but Texas believes it needs him for the rest of the 2024 season
After the worst game of his career that featured two different fumbles and a benching halfway through the Texas Longhorns' 35-13 win over Mississippi State, Jaydon Blue came out and spoke to the media.
It's not a grand gesture by any means, and whether it was mandated that Blue be available or he chose to come speak isn't quite clear the day after Texas' win in its SEC debut. However, Blue was forthright and said he knows he messed up by putting the ball on the turf twice and not even attempting to jump on his second fumble.
Blue, who had six carries for 36 yards plus a one-yard first-quarter score for the Horns, lost his second fumble during UT's opening drive of the second half. From that point on, Blue was on the sidelines with helmet on. An injured player wouldn't get to keep his helmet as that's how training staffs ensure players do not re-enter contests. Likewise, injured players don't typically come out to face the media.
Blue was benched. And while the move was likely necessary for the Longhorns, Texas worked to keep Blue's spirits up on the west sideline of Campbell-Williams Field.
"Everybody is telling me to keep my head up, of course, because they know they'll need me in the long run," Blue said. "After a second fumble, it's hard for me, of course. I don't like putting the ball on the ground. Nobody does. They were keeping me up and making sure that my head was still up."
To bench Blue was a bold move. Texas is already without CJ Baxter Christian Clark for the year. Quintrevion Wisner has been banged up. Jerrick Gibson is only a freshman. Ryan Niblett is a converted wideout. Additionally, walk-on Colin Page and transfer Velton Gardner were ruled out during the leadup to the game.
There were a few reasons why the move was possible for Texas.
First, Wisner was available and effective. He finished with 13 carries for 88 yards.
Second, quarterback Arch Manning was strong in the passing game. Manning was 26-for-31 for 324 yards and two touchdowns. He added a rushing score on a QB sneak as well.
Third, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian believes he'll need Blue for big moments in big games throughout the 2024 season and didn't want to lose Blue for those occasions.
"I hate it for Jaydon because I know he didn't want to fumble," Sarkisian said. "Nobody goes in thinking this is what I want to do, or that anybody wants to drop a pass or anything of that sort. I'm also concerned about the psyche of players, too. When he fumbled the first time in the red area, I know he was disappointed. We put him back out there. The second fumble occurred, and at that point it's 'hey, let's make sure we don't lose the player for the long haul.'"
The old cliché is that ball security is job security, and that's something that Sarkisian drills into his players. On the wall of the team meeting room is a large mural with the words "IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BALL" in easy-to-read letters.
Running backs coach Tashard Choice does the same.
"He emphasizes ball-carrying a lot," Blue said. "I know whenever we put the ball on the ground, it hurts him a lot. It should hurt us too. Not only that, but the team. The team is in our hands. When we put the ball on the ground, it's hard for us and for Coach Choice as a coach to handle that."
And for Sarkisian, it was too much to handle in that contest. That's not to say Sarkisian is giving up completely on Blue. Sarkisian said the opposite during the postgame press conference.
"We're going to need him," Sarkisian said. "We're going to need Jaydon Blue throughout the season. I don't want anybody to think we're giving up on Jaydon Blue. But in this game, sometimes you've got to shift and you've got to pivot."
Blue has electric athleticism and speed uncommon at the running back position. In addition to the opportunity for Blue created by injuries, his speed is an appealing trait in an offense like Sarkisian's.
The speed doesn't mean much without the football, and Sarkisian made a choice for the contest against Mississippi State to keep Blue off the field to improve the Longhorns' prospects of maintaining possession.
The next prospects Sarkisian and Choice will look to improve? Blue's ability to showcase that athleticism with the ball high-and-tight. Texas' running back situation necessitates quality play from Blue. Fostering that during the bye will be one of the Longhorns' main priorities.
"He's a very talented player," Sarkisian said. "He's more than capable of taking care of the ball. When it can get into your head, that can become a problem. We're working on it this week again."
