After four games, the No. 1 Texas Longhorns are heading into the season’s only bye week before embarking on a grueling stretch that includes eight games in eight weeks, starting with the annual grudge match against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl.
It’s a daunting task that begins after head coach Steve Sarkisian’s team has its only chance to improve its health with a week off.
“I do think we need to get healthy,” Sarkisian said. “We were a little banged up coming out of the game.”
Texas managed to pull out the 20-17 victory over No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday in Knoxville despite missing multiple key contributors.
For the third straight game, the Horns were without sophomore defensive lineman Justus Terry, who suffered a toe injury during pregame warmups two weeks ago and hasn’t played since. Sophomore tight end Nick Townsend also missed the win in Knoxville because of a knee injury sustained against the Buckeyes. Sophomore offensive lineman Jordan Coleman joined an injury list this week that included junior safety Xavier Filsaime, who hasn’t played yet this season.
During pregame warmups, the focus was on senior running back Hollywood Smothers after the NC State transfer progressed from questionable to probable to off the injury list before the game. But Smothers didn’t appear against the Volunteers after he suffered an apparent setback during warmups.
“We felt like he could be an emergency for us. He was obviously not 100 percent,” Sarkisian said.
With Smothers out, fifth-year running back Raleek Brown led the team with 17 carries for 67 yards and two touchdowns, supplemented by freshman running back Derrek Cooper. Playing for a second straight game after an ankle injury, Cooper had a nine-yard run, but finished with only seven yards on seven carries while taking another knock.
“I thought Derrek showed some grit and some toughness. He got rolled up there as well, but it was hard-charging, hard yards,” Sarkisian said.
The Texas head coach did not address the injury sustained by junior wide receiver Cam Coleman. The Auburn transfer went into the medical tent after a 30-yard reception early in the third quarter, his only target of the game.
Junior edge Colin Simmons isn’t fully healthy either — after leaving the win over UTSA last year due to an injury that left him in a walking boot for the second half, the star pass rusher recorded five sacks with a large brace on his left arm.