A few days after its biggest win of the season, the Texas football team suffered a couple of losses.

Texas confirmed Tuesday that running back Jerrick Gibson and kickoff specialist Will Stone have left the team. Inside Texas was the first to report on the defections of these players, both of whom are expected to enter the transfer portal.

Without Gibson and Stone, No. 21 Texas (4-2, 1-1) will get set for this week’s trip to Kentucky (2-3, 0-3). Gibson ranked third on the team in rushing attempts, but the Texas backfield has plenty of depth. During games that Stone missed this year against UTEP and Sam Houston, he was replaced on kickoffs by Mason Shipley.

A four-star recruit in the 2024 recruiting class, Gibson has carried the ball 37 times for 152 yards and a touchdown this fall. With UT battling injuries among its running backs, Gibson recorded 29 carries over the team’s games last month against UTEP and Sam Houston. However, he touched the ball just once in Southeastern Conference play as Texas opted to lean on veteran back Quintrevion Wisner.

“I think that he’s found a niche and a role,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said of Gibson earlier this month. “We’ve continued to try to expand his running style. But at the end of the day, he’s a physical runner. He’s a downhill runner. He gets behind his pads. I think he learned a valuable lesson early in the season (against San José State) when the ball got out and he lost a fumble there and has really made it a point of emphasis with his running style of how important it is to protect the ball. But he gives us a different style of runner when he’s in the game with the physicality. He’s a great short-yardage back.”

Last season, Stone replaced Bert Auburn as UT’s placekicker in the Cotton Bowl. He did not attempt any field goals, but made both of his extra points.

Why would Gibson and Stone leave the Longhorns now? Texas is just a few days removed from a 23-6 win over Oklahoma, and Stone was photographed afterward celebrating with the Golden Hat trophy. With a strong finish to the season, UT could still contend for SEC and national championships.

NCAA rules allow players to redshirt and maintain a year of eligibility if they play in four regular-season games or fewer during a season. Stone has appeared in four games this season. Texas currently has Gibson listed as a participant in five games although multiple media outlets questioned that record-keeping on Tuesday (Gibson has only touched the football in four games).

Last month, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was asked if he would prefer a system that did away with redshirts and just allowed everyone to play five years of college football. Sarkisian answered in the affirmative and mentioned midseason departures are one of the reasons why he’d like to see a change.

“What’s about to happen around the country is players holding out and players not wanting to play to preserve their redshirt, knowing they’re going to transfer at the end of the year,” Sarkisian said. “We saw it last year with the quarterback at UNLV where guys opt out to preserve their redshirt year. I think when you do the no redshirt year, you eliminate that, and you’re just giving everybody five years. Now guys, when they’re on a team, they go play and when the season is done if they want to transfer they can transfer.”