Texas head coach Shaka Smart said Monday that senior center Cameron Ridley is making progress recovering from his fractured left foot, and the Longhorns are hopeful he can play sometime in March.

Ridley, who injured his foot in practice on Dec. 27, had an appointment with a doctor last Wednesday. Smart said the visit went well and Ridley is cleared to put 75 percent of his weight on his left foot, whereas before he could only place 50 percent of his 285-pound frame on the foot.

However, Ridley is still walking with the aid of crutches and also using a scooter move around.

“His bone is healing, but it’s not healed yet,” Smart said. “He’s got another appointment next week and we’ll see how much growth he can have. We’re hoping he can do more next week on Tuesday he gets cleared to do more. But he’s not going to be cleared next week.”

Feet take time to heal, and they’re especially tricky for big men. Ridley, at 6-foot-10, is still working out and doing cardio to stay in shape, but he’s not expected back on the floor anytime soon. His initial timetable for a return was six to eight weeks, which would have put him back on Texas’ active roster by late February. But Smart said that’s no longer the reality Monday.

“It’s got to be a gradual progression bringing him back,” Smart said. “We’re hopeful he can play sometime in early March. It’s somewhat unrealistic to expect him to play before that.”

Smart said he’s hopeful to have Ridley back for the Big 12 tournament, which takes place the second week of March. But for now, the Longhorns will continue to play without their leading rebounder and second-leading scorer through the team’s first 11 games of the season.

“Our current reality is playing without Cam,” Smart said. “If, for some reason, that reality stays the same the rest of the season we’re not going to cancel the season.”