Sarkisian didn’t say whether Goosby will play Saturday in the season opener against visiting Texas State, but he says the presence of Goosby as well as banged-up left guard Laurence Seymore III on the practice field is “a real positive for us.”
“Both Trevor and Laurence practiced today, and I thought they both looked really good,” Sarkisian said.
Left tackle Andre Cojoe drew praise from Sarkisian and the Texas coaches while filling in for Goosby over the past two weeks, as did backup left guard Dylan Sikorski. But the presence of Goosby adds another dimension to the Texas offense.
“Trevor’s one of our leaders,” Texas quarterback Arch Manning said. “Really good athlete, a good guy. Glad to have him back.”
A fourth-year player and a two-year starter, Goosby could have entered this past spring’s NFL draft as a high pick but chose to return to Texas. He projects as a first-round pick in next year’s draft, assuming he matches his quality play from last season, when he emerged as one of the elite pass protectors in the country.
The Longhorns held their collective breath when Goosby went down with a noncontact knee injury in an Aug. 17 practice. But a diagnosis of a bone bruise instead of a season-ending ligament tear may have been the best news of the summer for Sarkisian and his squad, considering what the 6-foot-7, 325-pounder means to Manning and the Texas offense.
Center Connor Roberston said Goosby’s return to practice boosts the play of the entire offense.
“Trevor, he’s got great energy, man,” Roberston said. “I think it makes it a little easier having a guy like that back on the field. He’s a really smart guy. You don’t have to worry about him assignment-wise or anything like that. He makes everyone else’s job easier.”
If Goosby and Seymore get cleared for Saturday’s game against Texas State, they’ll join a projected starting offensive line that also includes Roberston, right guard Brandon Baker and right tackle Melvin Siani.