If the most surprising revelation from the initial injury report released by the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday was the status of freshman punter Michael Kern listed as questionable with an injury sustained since the SEC opener, then Friday’s upgrade of Kern to probable was a positive development for the Longhorns ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl.
After enrolling during the summer, the Florida product earned the starting job over sophomore walk-on Ian Ratliff during preseason camp, resolving a notable offseason storyline. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed on Thursday that Ratliff would punt against Oklahoma if Kern can’t play, a potentially concerning development with the heightened pressure of the rivalry game and split Cotton Bowl.