Houston running back Alton McCaskill suffered a torn ACL during a non-contact drill in spring practice, putting his availability for the 2022 season in doubt. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound sophomore from Conroe, Texas, is expected to miss significant time -- potentially the entire season.
"It is absolutely painful for me to share with my Houston family, friends, and Coogs to say that I have torn my ACL," he wrote on Twitter. "I am 100% dedicated to do everything I need to come back stronger and better than ever. To my teammates, coaches and trainers, we got this. Let's be champions."
McCaskill was a critical component of Houston's 12-2 season, which included a berth in the AAC Championship Game and win over Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl. He rushed for a team-high 961 yards as a freshman in 2021, and his 16 rushing touchdowns were the second-most in the AAC behind only Cincinnati's Jerome Ford. His success earned him Second-Team All-AAC honors, and he was tabbed as the conference's Rookie of the Year by the league's coaches.
A three-star prospect and the No. 419 overall player out of Oak Ridge High School in 2021, McCaskill also starred on the track in high school posting a 10.91 time in the 100-yard dash.
McCaskill's absence will shift the pressure to senior Ta'Zhawn Henry to lead the backfield. The former Texas Tech running back rushed for 513 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021 -- his first with the Cougars. Henry's best game came against South Florida on Nov. 6, 2021, when he rushed for 130 yards on just 10 carries.
