Major Applewhite, Texas’ running backs coach, describes tailback Fozzy Whittaker as a "weight room warrior" and a player who will be "counted on" during Saturday’s showdown against Oklahoma.
"He’s extremely excited to have a chance to actually contribute in a part of the game where it matters," Applewhite said of Whittaker, a sophomore whose injury-plagued career has included as many missed games (nine) as those in which he’s played (nine) during the past two seasons.
But the unanswered question is who will join Whittaker in Texas’ tailback rotation when the third-ranked Longhorns (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) meet No. 20 Oklahoma (3-2, 1-0) at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Cotton Bowl.
Whittaker and Cody Johnson, the Longhorns’ beefy short-yardage specialist, are listed as co-starters on this week’s depth chart because the team’s top two rushers were injured in last week’s 38-14 victory over Colorado. Vondrell McGee (258 yards, two TDs) dinged his left shoulder. Tré Newton (203 yards, three TDs), a redshirt freshman from Southlake Carroll, emerged with a concussion.
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It remains unclear whether Texas’ top two rushers will play against Oklahoma. Applewhite said he is "very optimistic" about their chances, but a decision is not expected until game time. Coach Mack Brown said it is possible that he will not select a starter until after watching pregame warmups in the Cotton Bowl.
That creates an opportunity for Whittaker, who has averaged 10 yards per carry in limited duty (five carries, 50 yards, two TDs) after sitting out the first three games with a knee injury. Included is a 12-yard touchdown scamper on his only carry against Colorado, a defense that limited Texas’ ground game to 46 yards on 25 attempts (1.8 per carry).
Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said he has spent this week seeking remedies for a "poor" rushing performance that raised concerns heading into a three-week stretch of games against Oklahoma, Missouri (4-1, 0-1) and No. 16 Oklahoma State (4-1, 1-0).
"We cannot go through this conference and not run the ball better than we did," Davis said. "That’s something we’ve got to address."
One potential course of action is to lean on Whittaker. Brown said Whittaker (5-foot-10, 190 pounds), who started two games last season, offers a "spark" when healthy that the ground game needs. UT coaches consider him their best all-around talent at the position.
"Fozzy is really fast. He’s really smart," Brown said. "He can do the every-down back stuff. He can do the third-down passing stuff and he can be the regular back. When he’s played, he’s been really good. He’s just been banged up."
Davis said Whittaker has been on the verge of claiming the starting spot more than once during his brief career. But in every instance, a fresh knee or ankle ailment has prevented it. Now, Whittaker is healthy. And the OU defense is waiting.
Brown said a clean bill of health is essential Saturday for any tailback.