Texas’ Michael Taaffe, Ryan Wingo, Jelani McDonald back at practice after bye week

AUSTIN — The bye week came at just the right time for the No. 11 Texas Longhorns.

After a week of rest and recovery, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said at Monday’s media availability that safety Michael Taaffe, cornerback Jelani McDonald and wide receiver Ryan Wingo were all back at practice and felt good about them playing against Georgia.

“All those guys practiced this morning. Look great,” Sarkisian said. “I don’t foresee any setbacks there. So feel good about that.”

Taaffe has been out the longest. In the fourth quarter against Kentucky, the fifth-year safety celebrated after a good play and looked back for the next play call. Then he looked down at his thumb.

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Taaffe thought it was dislocated and would just need to get it popped back into place after the game ended; however, when he came off the field, he discovered that he would have to get surgery two days later.

Taaffe was already back on track two weeks ago, practicing in the week leading up to the Longhorns’ matchup against the Commodores. However, Taaffe and the team doctors weren’t wanting to risk it quite yet.

That decision was tough for Taaffe’s mentality.

“I’ve never been put in that situation,” Taaffe said. “It was tough mentally, just knowing that if it was up to my pain tolerance, I’d go, but you have to make the smartest decision and not an emotional decision.”

But this week, Taaffe will get the opportunity to help his team out on the field again, cleared by the doctor on Monday.

“I just talked to the doctor today. So he said, ‘Go cut it loose. I got full faith in you,’” Taaffe said.

McDonald also went out early against Vanderbilt and had to go through concussion protocol during the bye. With Taaffe already out, it was another setback in the backfield for the Longhorns.

Texas has been able to readjust without the experience in the backfield; however, the team will need it moving forward against a confident Georgia offense.

And on the other side of the ball, Wingo will also likely be back against Georgia. He walked off the field in the Vanderbilt game, holding his hand to his chest with a thumb injury. After halftime, he came back out of the locker room still dressed out in his pads but with his helmet off.

“Let’s start with getting 16 back, getting four back, getting 17 back healthy. I mean, those three guys are factors for us,” Sarkisian said. “…All those guys that I touch on affect what we do on the perimeter, because that’s everybody playing on the same accord. That’s everybody working together. That’s the communication and communicating with confidence.”

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