Texas Longhorns: Hollywood Smothers and Graceson Littleton Could Miss the Rest of the Regular Season, Reports Say, as Missouri Waits
Saturday's 31-3 win cost Texas five players by the final whistle. Sunday's first severity reporting says two of them - a starting running back and arguably the team's best defensive back - may not play again until a possible playoff game. Texas has not confirmed any timetable.
Two Texas Longhorns starters could miss the remainder of the regular season, Texas Longhorns on SI reported Sunday, citing reports from Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods. Running back Hollywood Smothers is dealing with severe shoulder and knee injuries and cornerback Graceson Littleton has a knee injury, according to Richardson's reporting as carried by SI. The reports have not been confirmed by Texas, and SI itself noted it is best to wait for official word from head coach Steve Sarkisian about any timetable.
Both players left Saturday's 31-3 win over Mississippi State and did not return - two of the five Longhorns Sarkisian listed after the game as not finishing, alongside Cam Coleman, Kade Phillips and Ryan Wingo, in a game Texas played without star pass rusher Colin Simmons for a second straight week, Burnt Orange Nation reported. Littleton, who has 27 tackles, five passes defended and an interception this season, came out at halftime to test his lower-body injury by running in the end zone while the training staff watched, kept his pads on, and never got back in, SI reported. Smothers grabbed at his left knee after being hit low in the second half.
The wording of the report matters, and SI underlined it: Richardson emphasized 'regular season' - if Texas earns a College Football Playoff spot, Smothers and Littleton might have a shot at returning. For now, the immediate test is this week's road trip to Missouri, where a Texas team already missing Simmons and offensive tackle Trevor Goosby before Saturday's new injuries may be down two more starters. Sarkisian's next availability is the Longhorns' first official word, and this story will be updated when it comes.
