The Texas Longhorns lost two star running backs ahead of the 2024 college football season. As a result, the Longhorns looked like they’d face an uphill battle this season. But head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff pulled off quite a coup. Texas has landed a pivotal transfer from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Velton Gardner, a running back previously for the SMU Mustangs, announced on his Instagram that he plans to transfer to Austin as a grad transfer.
It’s a huge move for the Longhorns with just over a week to go until Week 1 of the 2024 season.
From former Kansas and SMU RB Velton Gardner’s Instagram page: pic.twitter.com/AejKbMHkeK
— Danny Davis (@_dannydavis) August 22, 2024
Gardner’s played college football for the last five seasons. He began his collegiate career in Lawrence at Kansas. He played there for three years before he decided to transfer to SMU, where he’s played for the last two years.
Gardner has starred in 37 career games, and has 1,024 rushing yards on 229 carries with six rushing touchdowns.
Replicating or producing to a clip that the previous backs had hit or were expected to is going to be a challenge thsi year. But with a veteran like Garnder aboard on a talented team, he will have his opportunities. This Texas team is surely the most talented he’s ever been on, so this may work out for him in the end.
