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Texas Longhorns running back Hollywood Smothers will miss Saturday’s matchup against No. 7 Ole Miss after the team ruled him out with a shoulder injury, dealing another blow to the No. 19 Longhorns ahead of a crucial SEC contest.
Smothers was listed as out on Friday’s SEC availability report after suffering the injury during the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to Florida. He had been listed as doubtful earlier in the week after missing practice.
The running back leads Texas with 289 rushing yards on 65 carries and two touchdowns this season. His absence leaves the Longhorns without their leading rusher as they attempt to end a two-game losing streak.
Texas Turns to Raleek Brown and Derrek Cooper
With Smothers unavailable, Raleek Brown and freshman running back Derrek Cooper could receive additional opportunities in the backfield.
Brown has contributed to the Longhorns’ rushing attack this season, while Cooper could return to action after missing last week’s game against Florida because he was not fully healthy. The freshman previously dealt with an ankle injury that kept him out of the game against Ohio State.
Texas will need its remaining running backs to help establish a consistent ground game against an Ole Miss team ranked seventh nationally.
Smothers is not the only significant absence for the Longhorns. Edge rusher Colin Simmons, who leads the nation with 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, will also miss the game with an ankle injury. Freshman edge rusher Richard Wesley, wide receiver Kaliq Lockett and offensive lineman Jaydon Chatman have also been ruled out.
Backup center Jackson Christian is questionable.
Arch Manning Faces Pressure to Respond
Texas also enters the matchup with questions surrounding quarterback Arch Manning after consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Florida.
Manning committed costly fourth-quarter turnovers in both defeats, prompting coach Steve Sarkisian to evaluate the offense and increase redshirt freshman quarterback KJ Lacey’s first-team practice opportunities this week, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Sarkisian has maintained that Manning remains the starter but acknowledged that the quarterback must improve.
“Arch can play better for us,” Sarkisian said. “He’s our starter. But I need a better version of Arch Manning.”
Manning has completed 63.9% of his passes in SEC play and recorded five interceptions alongside 11 touchdown passes. With Texas trying to halt its slide, his performance against Ole Miss will be under scrutiny.
Sarkisian also said he appreciated the edge Manning had shown during a difficult stretch, adding that the quarterback needed to respond by playing better football with his teammates.
Longhorns Face Tough Test Against Ole Miss
Texas enters the game at 4-2 overall and 1-2 in SEC play after losses to Oklahoma and Florida. The Longhorns have little margin for error if they hope to revive their College Football Playoff ambitions.
Losing both Smothers and Simmons makes the challenge more difficult. Smothers provides the team’s leading rushing production, while Simmons has been one of the nation’s most disruptive pass rushers.
The Longhorns will need contributions from their replacements and a stronger performance from Manning to compete with the seventh-ranked Rebels.
Saturday’s game presents an important opportunity for Texas to regain momentum, but the team will have to do so without several key contributors.
