Arch Manning and Texas get more bad news

Texas football program faces further setbacks with Arch Manning and the Longhorns

After back-to-back victories helped the Texas Longhorns' season improve, the team continues to struggle with injuries. The Longhorns lost star left tackle Trevor Goosby for the season last month, and now running back Hollywood Smothers will miss the remainder of the year due to a torn MCL. These recent injuries have left the Longhorns' rushing attack in even worse shape.

Manning entered the season as a Heisman Trophy favorite, but a string of losses to Oklahoma and Florida has put him at risk of being benched. Head coach Steve Sarkisian threatened to bench Manning if the team's performance didn't improve. The Longhorns managed to eke out a 34-27 win over Ole Miss on October 24th, but Smothers suffered his latest injury during that game.

The Longhorns' struggles on offense were evident, as Manning was sacked six times against Ole Miss. Additionally, wide receiver Cam Coleman left the game with an injury for the second consecutive game. Coach Sarkisian acknowledged the need for better football from the team after that win.

Smothers returned against Mississippi State after missing several games due to injuries, but he only had four carries for negative yards before suffering another setback. In his brief return, Smothers rushed for 283 yards and two touchdowns in six games, including a crucial performance in Texas' 24-23 upset victory over Ohio State.

The Longhorns now face another significant challenge as several other key players, including Simmons, Coleman, Ryan Wingo, and nickel corner Graceson Littleton, are listed as questionable for Saturday's road game against Missouri. With their already struggling rushing attack now further weakened, Manning and the Longhorns will need to find a way to keep winning with significantly less help as their playoff hopes hang by a thread.