One of the worst-case scenarios for Texas Longhorns sophomore defensive end Caleb Bluiett has come to pass, as the 2014 contributor has undergone successful surgery to repair a torn ACL.

Bluiett suffered the injury in the first half of the Thanksgiving game against TCU and did not return. A product of Beamount West Brook, Blueitt did not play in Texas Bowl, either, and had his surgery on Tuesday.

The typical time table for such an injury is four to six months, but some players take longer to recover. Recall that Texas cornerback Sheroid Evans missed the entirety of the 2014 season after tearing his ACL in early October of 2013.

A 6'3, 250-pounder who could project on the strong side or remain in the Fox position next season, Blueitt was the most productive of the three defensive ends who played opposite of senior Cedric Reed in 2014, as he finished with more tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks than junior Shiro Davis or redshirt freshman Naashon Hughes.

After playing in 12 games with two starts, Bluiett posted 37 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in his first season of major action at defensive end. Against Kansas State, he was especially effective, tying a career high with six tackles. Three of those tackles were behind the line of scrimmage and one counted as a sack, proving that Bluiett has the potential to be an impact player when given the opportunity.

The arrival of Navarro College defensive end Quincy Vasser as an early enrollee and likely opening day starter on the strong side should remove any pressure for a quick return from Bluiett to fill that position, but right now, he's the most solid of the three options at the Fox position, which would make him a significant loss for the 2015 season if he can't recover in time to play his redshirt junior season.