Texas RB Hollywood Smothers out for season with torn MCL as injuries mount for Longhorns
Smothers was a splashy transfer portal addition for Texas, but he's battled injury all season
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The Texas running back room just got thinner and less explosive. Hollywood Smothers will miss the remainder of the season with a torn MCL, according to multiple reports.
The No. 3 running back in the 2026 transfer class, Smothers was part of a nice haul for Steve Sarkisian, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Smothers was coming off a 939-yard season at NC State in which he totaled seven touchdowns, and expectations were high for him in Austin.
However, Smothers has battled injuries all season. He didn't play at all in the Longhorns' road win over Tennessee due to a lower-body injury. Smothers also missed his team's home win over Ole Miss on Oct. 24. In his last three appearances, Smothers has been part of a rotation with Raleek Brown and was ineffective when he did touch the ball.
In last week's win over Mississippi State, Smothers carried the ball just four times for minus-6 yards before getting helped into the medical tent.
Smothers will end his season with just 283 yards and two touchdowns in six games. Brown will now be asked to carry a heavier workload in the rushing game.
The loss of Smothers is just the latest in a series of significant injuries Texas has suffered with its College Football Playoff hopes on the line this weekend against Missouri. If the Longhorns want any shot of living up to preseason expectations, Steve Sarkisian needs other players to step up in the absence of some stars.
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