The word dropped Wednesday: running back Hollywood Smothers, the dude who practically lives in the end zone, is officially “questionable” for Texas’ monster road game against Tennessee this weekend. Yeah, you read that right. The Longhorns are locked into conference play now, so these availability reports are hitting different, and they’re not holding back on the drama this week. Nobody’s saying why Smothers got slapped with that “questionable” tag, which just ramps up the tension for every fan out there.
Smothers Is The Man, And That’s Why This Stings
Let’s be real, Smothers is the heart of that Texas backfield. The guy has already torched defenses for a team-high 198 yards on 41 carries this season. He’s got two touchdowns, and one of them was an absolute dagger: a game-winner with just 25 seconds left to beat then-No. 1 Ohio State, 24-23, way back on September 12. You remember that, right? Pure clutch. He was still grinding last weekend too, logging 10 rushing attempts against UTSA. So, to have him listed as anything less than full-go for a huge matchup with No. 14 Tennessee? That’s a gut punch, no matter how you slice it. The Longhorns are sitting pretty at #1, undefeated at 3-0, but this kind of news makes you wonder about the road ahead.
Injury Bug Biting Texas Hard Early On
It ain’t just Smothers, either. The injury report reads like a grocery list for Texas fans, and it’s not looking good for a few key guys. Defensive lineman Justus Terry, defensive back Xavier Filsaime, and offensive lineman Jordan Coleman are all already ruled out for the Tennessee game. And tight end Nick Townsend? He’s got that “doubtful” tag, meaning he’s probably not suiting up either. This is exactly what you don’t want when you’re the top team in the nation heading into a tough conference battle. Every game matters right now, and losing talent like this is a real problem. The good news, if you can find some, is that All-SEC edge rusher Colin Simmons is listed as “probable” after his leg injury against UTSA. At least that’s one bullet dodged for the defense, which they’ll absolutely need against a fellow undefeated team.
Coach Steve Sarkisian is scheduled to talk to the media after Thursday’s practice, and you know everyone’s going to be glued to that presser. We need answers on Smothers, and what this means for the #1 Longhorns as they head into hostile territory to face the #14 Volunteers. This weekend’s game is going to be a battle, and we’ll see if Texas can weather the storm without one of their best players.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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