The last time Texas Longhorns fans saw Xavier Worthy, he was hobbling up and down the sidelines at AT&T Stadium in the Big 12 title game. A month later, he’s still dealing with the lingering ailment.
Worthy admitted Friday during the Longhorns’ Sugar Bowl media session that the ankle is not entirely healed, but he expects to play against No. 2 Washington. The junior said he’s been limited at practice, but he’s still working out to the best of his ability.
“I’m feeling better, (but) I’m trying my best to get close to 100 percent come game time,” Worthy said.
The No. 3 Longhorns wouldn’t be in New Orleans for a shot at the national championship without Worthy. His straight-line speed, vertical presence, and special team skills paved the way for a dominant season in Austin.
Worthy led the team in receptions (73) and receiving yards (969) and finished second in touchdowns (5) behind Adonai Mitchell. He also averaged 17 yards per punt return and scored a touchdown in a win over BYU.
The Longhorns rely on a potent passing game to set up the run. Worthy was already playing hurt entering the Big 12 championship against Oklahoma State after tweaking his ankle against Iowa State.
Does the pain still linger when running routes?
“Yeah, definitely,” Worthy said.
The rematch of the 2022 Alamo Bowl is more than just a playoff game for Worthy. It’s a moment to rewrite a bad performance from a year prior. Worthy dropped several passes downfield against the Huskies, though he was playing with a broken hand.
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