Texas’ injury picture got a little clearer Thursday, and the biggest name to watch is defensive lineman Hero Kanu.
Kanu was upgraded to probable on the SEC availability report after leaving last week’s game against Missouri with an injury. He has been a steady force for the Longhorns this season, piling up 26 tackles and four tackles for loss while emerging as one of the team’s key leaders.
The only other Texas player on the report is offensive lineman Cole Hutson, who is listed as questionable. Hutson has played just three snaps on offense this season.
For now, those are the two Longhorns to monitor as the week moves along. Three Texas players are already ruled out for the season: star left tackle Trevor Goosby, running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Nick Townsend.
Freshman edge rusher Richard Wesley will miss a fourth straight game as well. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said on Oct. 29 that he expected Wesley back “in the next couple of weeks” when asked whether the injury was long term.
Two notable Texas names are absent from the report altogether, which points to availability this week: wide receiver Cam Coleman and edge rusher Colin Simmons. Coleman did not play last week and was listed as a game-time decision on the final availability report.
Simmons returned against Missouri after missing two games with an ankle issue, but he was spotted on the sideline with his cleats off in the second half and played only 18 snaps. Even with those injury concerns, Simmons still leads the Power Four with 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss.
LSU has its own injury situation to sort through. Linebacker Whit Weeks remains questionable, while the Tigers also have four players listed out: Dashawn Spears, Phillip Wright III, Charles Ross II and Richard Anderson. Offensive tackle Weston Davis is listed as probable.
Speaking in Baton Rouge on Monday, LSU coach Lane Kiffin called Simmons “one of the premier players at any position in college football” and praised Texas’ roster construction.
“These guys have done a great job over the years signing great high school players, developing them and then adding great portal players,” Kiffin said. “That’s really the plan at the blue bloods.
That’s the way to do it, so you can get these great high school players like Colin and the guys that they have, and then get great portal players, too. Then you have the type of rosters that we’re seeing play in our conference, like Georgia and Texas.”
Sam Leavitt leads the SEC with 2,553 passing yards.
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