Texas is less than a month away from its highly anticipated season opener against Ohio State, and one of the Longhorns’ biggest question marks just got more pronounced. Redshirt sophomore Andre Cojoe, who had been competing for the starting right tackle spot, is expected to miss significant time after suffering a knee injury in preseason camp, Horns247’s Chip Brown confirmed.
Cojoe’s absence leaves Texas scrambling for answers up front as quarterback Arch Manning prepares for his first season as the Longhorns’ full-time starter — with a marquee road opener against the reigning national champions looming on Aug. 30 in Columbus.
Cojoe had been splitting first-team reps at right tackle with sophomore Brandon Baker during the early stages of camp following the early NFL departure of former starter Cameron Williams. The 6-foot-6, 335-pound Cojoe had earned praise from offensive line coach Kyle Flood just days before the injury.
“I think both those guys have changed their bodies, improved their skill sets, and we’ll figure out in training camp how that all plays out,” Flood said last Tuesday of Cojoe and Baker. “So, both guys are going to go out and compete, and we’ll see how it plays out through training camp.”
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With Cojoe now sidelined, Baker — a former top-50 recruit and the No. 3 offensive tackle in the 2024 class — becomes the presumptive Week 1 starter. He logged just 64 offensive snaps in five games last season. Behind Baker, however, depth is uncertain. Sophomore Jaydon Chatman and true freshman Nick Brooks are the next likely options, though neither has meaningful experience at tackle.
The timing of Cojoe’s injury is especially significant as Texas replaces four of five starters from its 2024 offensive line, including both tackles. Left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., left guard Hayden Conner, center Jake Majors and Williams are all now in the NFL.
Redshirt sophomore Trevor Goosby is expected to take over at left tackle, while redshirt junior Cole Hutson — who started at guard earlier in his career — is sliding to center. Redshirt junior Neto Umeozulu is the likely replacement at left guard. DJ Campbell returns at right guard as the lone starter from last season’s unit.
Texas resumes practice Tuesday with an urgent need to solidify its front five before heading into a potential No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown. For a debuting quarterback like Manning, who carries both pedigree and enormous expectation, protection will be key. And with a reshuffled line and a top-tier opponent looming, the margin for error just got even smaller.
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