The top-ranked Texas Longhorns sat back, relaxed and watched the rest of the college football world go to battle as they enjoyed their bye week.
The Longhorns are back in action this weekend in what is always a big game on the calendar: the Red River Rivalry against the Oklahoma Sooners.
For the Longhorns, getting as close to full strength as possible is vital heading into Saturday, especially with several impact players close to or back to being fully healthy. After acknowledging that the bye was coming at a good time following the Tennessee win, Sarkisian then pointed out the difference a week can make on Monday.
“Naturally, anytime you come out of a bye week, if we do it right, we should be healthier than we were going into the bye week,” Sarkisian said. “I think we’re healthier than we were this time a week ago.”
The return to full health for senior running back Hollywood Smothers, who was not listed on the Southeastern Conference’s initial availability report on Wednesday, injects new life into the Texas offense that totaled a season-low 61 rushing yards on 1.7 yards per carry against Tennessee.
While Smothers suited up at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, he would not enter the game for a single snap, as Sarkisian said he was only in uniform as an emergency option.
Before their road trip to Knoxville, Smothers had been the featured back for the Longhorns. In three games, he received 41 carries, gained a team-high 198 yards for close to five yards per carry and scored three total touchdowns, two of which came late against Ohio State to clinch the comeback.
“I think all the tools that we look for in a running back have shown up for him,” Sarkisian said about Smothers on Thursday. “He’s been sorely missed, not having him, and it’s good to have him back.”
Smothers is not the only offensive player the Longhorns also expect to get back from injury.
Sophomore tight end Nick Townsend has been out of action since the win over Ohio State and will return to the field after being taken off the injury report following Thursday’s update.
The addition of Townsend into the Texas offense not only gives senior quarterback Arch Manning another big target in the passing attack, but his physicality also adds another layer of push upfront to the Longhorns’ ground game.
Junior defensive back Xaiver Filsaime hasn’t played yet this season, but he wasn’t listed on the Wednesday report and is set to make his season debut. Filsaime, who has compiled 21 tackles in 17 games as a Longhorn, contributes another piece to a Texas secondary ranked No. 4 in the SEC in passing defense.
Missing the rivalry game will be sophomores offensive lineman Jordan Coleman, wide receiver Kaliq Lockett and defensive lineman Zion Williams. While sophomore defensive lineman Justus Terry is trending upwards, his availability is still in doubt.
Terry continues to work back from an injury suffered in pregame warmups before facing Ohio State.
“That hurt because we had a plan for him (against Ohio State),” Sarkisian said about Terry on Sept. 14. “We were counting on him, and in football sometimes that happens, and you just deal with it. Hopefully, we get him back sooner rather than later because he is performing at a high level.”
While the Longhorns didn’t have an opponent a week ago, they won the bye week with potential impact players set to return this weekend. The Sooners, who also had last weekend off, may not have had the same injury luck. With 13 players on the initial injury report, the status of Oklahoma contributors still remains up in the air.