Texas Longhorns Wide Receiver Ryan Wingo reportedly suffered a hamstring injury during spring practice. Several sources confirmed that Wingo joined teammate DeAndre Moore Jr. on the injured list. Coach Steve Sarkisian made the precautionary decision to pull him from practice. Fortunately, the timing of this injury shouldn’t impact the season despite Texas’ wide receiver injuries. Expect to see Wingo slip into a leadership role for the wide receivers this year. After the strong start to his career last year, he is definitely the man to do it.
Wingo’s Regular Season
Wingo and the Texas Longhorns rode the perfect storm in 2024 to the CFP. Despite not coming out on top, it was a solid introduction to the SEC. They started in the very first game of the season against Colorado State. In a less-than-surprising victory for Texas, Wingo notched 70 yards on four catches. Wingo struck again with 55 rushing yards against Michigan.
The real showcase of his skills came against UTSA. He totaled 127 yards – a season high – after catching a second pass from Arch Manning. His first reception of that game was a 75-yard touchdown, also from Manning. He had taken over for an injured Quinn Ewers.
There’s no denying Wingo quieted down a bit during the rest of the season. He did go off in the Red River Rivalry rushing for 25 yards and catching two passes for 49 yards. While remaining a steady force on the team, he wouldn’t replicate his initial surge for a while. That is until the College Football Playoffs rolled around.
CFP
From the first showdown against Clemson, Wingo was back in action. Against every team in the CFP, the wide receiver had at least 20 receiving yards. The highest point was the CFP Quarterfinal against Arizona State. Wingo notched 33 yards in total between two receptions. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be enough to propel the Texas Longhorns to the final.
Looking Ahead To 2025
Last season, Wingo had a pretty significant impact as part of a fortified freshman class. The powerful young wide receiver made an immediate impact that continued throughout the Longhorns’ schedule. He came alive in the game against Vanderbilt garnering 20 yards with 3 receptions. His contributions during Texas’ run at the College Football Playoffs followed a similar pattern.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Zach Dimmitt, Ryan Wingo “is expected to step in as the team’s No. 1 receiver for the 2025 season following the departures of Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond, and Silas Bolden.” This high praise is not without merit. It’s not even a little bit exaggerated. Wingo put up some monster stats in his first year with the Texas Longhorns. The young wide receiver was consistently effective throughout the season, even on quiet days. He’s set up to be a strong foundation for Texas in 2025.
Final Thoughts
The one bright spot of this story is the prognosis. There are still about five months to go until the beginning of the 2025 football season. Time is on Wingo’s side. He’ll need it as a de facto anchor for the team and wide receivers. Burnt Orange Nation acknowledges the less-than-ideal situation as fellow wide receiver Moore Jr. is out with a toe injury. There is some concern in Longhorn Nation for the overall condition of the wide receivers.
Bobby Burton of On Texas Football points to that current strain despite “not considered a long-term issue.” Coach Sarkisian is making the smart call pulling him from spring practice. Better safe than sorry is a motto the Texas Longhorns can afford to follow this early. All the best to Wingo and the other Longhorns as they recover.
