Colin Simmons Downgraded to Doubtful for Mississippi State, While Cam Coleman and Hollywood Smothers Come Off the Report Entirely
Thursday's updated SEC availability report moved Texas's best pass rusher the wrong way - and its top receiver and running back all the way back. Simmons, who leads the SEC with 10.5 sacks, is now doubtful for Saturday night in Austin.
The second SEC availability report of the week brought Texas one piece of bad news and two pieces of good. Edge rusher Colin Simmons, the Longhorns' defensive star, was downgraded from questionable to doubtful for Saturday's game against Mississippi State, while wide receiver Cam Coleman and running back Hollywood Smothers were upgraded from probable to being off the report altogether - the clearest signal the report gives that a player is available. The updated report was reported Thursday by the Clarion Ledger.
Simmons's slide matters because of who he is: he leads the SEC with 10.5 sacks, and Texas's pass rush against a Mississippi State team breaking in a new quarterback was the matchup this desk flagged in its game preview. Wide receiver Kaliq Lockett remains probable, and the two players already ruled out stay out - left tackle Trevor Goosby and edge Richard Wesley.
Mississippi State's side of the sheet moved too. Starting linebacker Tyler Lockhart was added to the report as questionable after not appearing on the initial list, safety Isaac Smith is also questionable, and left guard DJ Chester was downgraded from questionable to out. Quarterback Kamario Taylor is out after undergoing season-ending foot surgery on Tuesday, October 28.
No. 11 Texas (5-2, 3-2 SEC) hosts Mississippi State (4-3, 2-3 SEC) on Saturday, October 31, at 6:30 p.m. Central on ESPN. The availability report updates nightly until 90 minutes before kickoff, so Simmons's status gets at least one more reading before the game - but Thursday's direction, a full grade down, points away from the field.
