Hollywood Smothers could join Colin Simmons on Texas's injury list

When it rains, it pours.

The Texas Longhorns were well aware that star edge rusher Colin Simmons could miss time, suffering a reported ankle sprain against the Texas Longhorns. However, until now, we weren't aware of how long he could be out, and we certainly weren't aware that running back Hollywood Smothers could join him on the injury list.

Now, it has been all but confirmed by head coach Steve Sarkisian that Simmons will miss three to four weeks with the sprained ankle, and suddenly Smothers' availability for Texas's Week 8 game against the Ole Miss Rebels has been downgraded to "questionable."

The loss of Simmons was already a huge hit for the Longhorns, and it's over an extremely challenging stretch of the season, but now it isn't just the defense that will be without one of its stars, with the offense possibly losing Smothers from the rotation.

Anward Richardson first broke the news, sharing that the running back was "dealing with an undisclosed injury," while simultaneously reporting the news that Simmons could miss the next month of the season.

"The goal is to get [Simmons] healthy and back on the field as soon as possible," Richardson reported.

We're still a couple of days from Texas releasing its initial availability report for Week 8, which will come out on Wednesday evening, but it's looking like there's going to be bad news coming from the 40 Acres.

Colin Simmons set to miss the most important stretch of Longhorns' season

With two straight losses to their name, the Longhorns are in desperate need of a win. Unfortunately, they are about to play four of their toughest opponents all season, and they're going to have to do it without their defensive star available.

Over the next four weeks, the very four weeks that Simmons is projected to miss with his ankle injury, Texas will play the No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels, the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the No. 22 Missouri Tigers, and the No. 18 LSU Tigers.

All four of those teams are led by dual-threat quarterbacks who can run the ball almost as well as they can throw it. Simmons was primed to help the Horns shut down those dual-threat capabilities, but now that responsibility will fall to some of his understudies.

Simmons has led Texas and the entire country this season in sacks, earning 10.5 sacks over the first six games before going down with his injury in the fourth quarter against Florida. Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will look to players like fellow edge rusher Lance Jackson to step up to the task with Simmons stuck on the bench.

Similarly, quarterback Arch Manning (if he continues to start) will have to rely on RB2 Raleek Brown and freshman Derrek Cooper Jr. to carry the rock, with his usual partner in the backfield possibly sidelined.

According to Richardson's report, it was only the game against Ole Miss that Smothers is questionable for, but even if he misses just one game, it could continue to take the air out of a team that is already extremely deflated.

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