Texas RB Kirk Johnson dealing with hamstring issue following first practice

The emphasis on hydration by Texas Longhorns head coach Tom Herman to help avoid soft-tissue injuries wasn’t enough to save junior running back Kirk Johnson from leaving Monday’s opening practice of preseason camp with a “hamstring issue.”

While the severity of the injury is not yet clear, it is another potentially significant setback for Johnson, who has been hurt for most of the last two years, most recently missing the Orange-White game in the spring.

The older brother of sophomore wide receiver Collin Johnson has tantalizing athleticism that could help him make an impact at running back. If he could ever get healthy and stay that way for an extended period of time.

Right now, there aren’t a lot of encouraging signs.