The Texas Longhorns were preparing for a major battle on Saturday, amid concerns about one of Arch Manning's top weapons on the field, and a major update arrived just before kickoff. Hollywood Smothers, who is the Longhorns' top running back, was dealing with a lower-leg injury this past week which had him. However, a more recent update revealed Smothers was on track to play.
According to college football insider Pete Thamel, Smothers "looked good" while in early warm-ups and should be on the field for Saturday's clash with Tennessee. That's good news, as Texas may need to rely on its run game to help it defeat a tough Tennessee Volunteers team on the road. Read more: Nick Saban Issues Warning for Arch Manning Ahead of Texas-Tennessee Clash Much has been made about Manning being a top prospect for next year's NFL Draft, but criticism has hit him this season after his early performances.
One of the biggest criticisms is his ability to throw the ball downfield for explosive plays, rather than continuing to make short passes. So far this season, Tennessee is only allowing 151 passing yards per game, which could be a bad sign for Manning having a big performance. However, he'll now have that top weapon available in Smothers.
This season, Smothers has 41 carries for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Having him on the field could very well open up more opportunities for Manning to make plays, as the Longhorns will have Smothers on snap counts, but he'll still be limited. In addition to Smothers, the Longhorns have senior running back Raleek Brown.
He has 31 carries for 129 yards and two touchdowns and is Texas's second-best back so far this season. That likely means that Brown will be the main running back with most of the carries in Saturday's matchup against the Vols. The two teams battle it out on Saturday, Sept. 26, with the winner remaining undefeated to start the season.
More news: Arch Manning Draws Blunt Criticism Ahead of Texas Clash With Tennessee For more about the Texas Longhorns and college football, visit Newsweek Sports.
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