Jonathon Brooks injury update: What happened to Texas Longhorns RB during game vs TCU?

Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks had his sixth 100-yard game of the season, but came down with an injury in Week 11. With some difficulty, the Texas Longhorns saw off the challenge by TCU 29-16, but they lost an important piece of their roster with Brooks off the board for Texas the rest of the year.

The player was tackled after a gain of seven yards during a play in the fourth quarter and limped off the field straight to the medical tent, where he was checked by the Longhorns medical personnel. Initially, head coach Steve Sarkisian gave the following update regarding the player after the game:

“We’re going to have to get him back to Austin and check him out in the morning,” he said to reporters after the game. “I’ll have a better update for you on Monday.”

However, the worst scenario came to be on Sunday afternoon, when the school confirmed the player suffered a torn ACL and would have to submit to surgery on Monday. This effectively means that Brooks is out for the season.

Steve Sarkisian said this about the news:

"We're heartbroken for Jonathon," coach Steve Sarkisian said in a statement. "He was having a fantastic season and leaves a void that needs to be filled. But we know he will continue to be an invaluable leader on our team, helping us prepare as we move forward in our mission this season."

Jonathon Brooks had 104 rushing yards, and two touchdowns in 21 carries against the Horned Frogs in Saturday's game. He also had 74 receiving yards.

Jonathon Brooks 2023 season by the numbers

Jonathon Brooks wasn't initially meant to be the main man in the Longhorns backfield, but he rose to the challenge of replacing first-rounder Bijan Robinson when he left for the greener pastures of the NFL.

In 2023, he had recorded 1139 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 10 games. He ranks sixth in rushing yards, and seventh in rushing yards per game (113.9) at the FBS level this year.

Quinn Ewers returns with the Texas Longhorns

After missing two weeks of play, signal-caller Quinn Ewers returned to starting duties with the Austin school. He threw 317 yards, with one touchdown pass and one interception in the victory over the TCU Horned Frogs.