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AUSTIN – Texas had one of its best defensive performances of the season on Saturday, holding West Virginia to 24 points (came in averaging 33.2 per game) and 383 yards (entered the game averaging 510.8 per game) and forcing four turnovers in a 24-20 loss to the 11th-ranked Mountaineers.

The Longhorns did that without their best player, and it remains to be seen if they’ll get Malik Jefferson back the next time they hit the field.

Jefferson, who’d been playing the best football of his sophomore campaign in the two games prior to facing West Virginia, left the Saturday’s contest after sustaining a head injury on the first defensive series of the game. He didn’t return and Strong on Monday that Jefferson remains in concussion protocol.

Texas (5-5, 3-4 in the Big 12) held its usual correction and review practice on Sunday, a workout in which Strong said Jefferson didn’t do anything. The training staff is going to continue to monitor him and, as of Monday morning, his status for the Saturday’s game against Kansas (1-9, 0-7) remained uncertain.

“We’re just going to watch him as he develops over the week,” Strong said.

After being benched in the second half of a 24-21 loss to Kansas State on Oct. 22, Jefferson had two outstanding showings against Texas Tech. Against the Bears and the Red Raiders Jefferson recorded a combined 17 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

In limited action against West Virginia he still managed to tally three tackles, one tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry. On the season Jefferson has 60 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, all of which rank second on the squad.

Jefferson is also tied for the team lead with three quarterback hurries and has two pass breakups on the season.

Sophomore left guard Jake McMillon missed the West Virginia game with a right knee injury he suffered against Texas Tech. McMillon was on the sideline using a single crutch to get around and it’s unclear whether he’ll make the trip to Lawrence this weekend.

Texas remains without the services of running backs Kirk Johnson (knee) and Chris Warren (knee), wide receiver Lorenzo Joe (shoulder) and defensive lineman Jordan Elliott (knee). None of those players have been officially declared out for the rest of the reason, but with two games left in the regular season, and considering the severity of their injuries, it remains unlikely that they’ll see the field the rest of the way.

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