Texas’ offense was already grinding to a halt against Tennessee when another hit landed: Cam Coleman headed to the medical tent after hauling in a stunning 30-yard catch from Arch Manning.
The Longhorns were hanging onto a slim lead and looking stuck in neutral on offense. Coleman’s exit only made the picture worse. He was taken in for evaluation after the big reception, and ESPN sideline reporter Laura Rutledge said he had been evaluated in the tent, though no further update was available beyond Texas continuing to monitor him.
Coleman then sat out the next Texas drive, and the Horns did little to ease concerns. That possession produced just two yards on three plays before another punt. For an offense already searching for answers, losing its top wideout was the kind of blow that can change the whole shape of a game.
Before leaving, Coleman had just the one catch - the 30-yarder - but he had still been the clear centerpiece of the passing game through the season’s first three weeks. Coming into Saturday, he led Texas receivers with 178 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan Wingo had 165 yards and two scores, while Emmett Mosley V had 130 yards without a touchdown.
Coleman’s absence also opened the door for others to take on more. Wingo and Mosley were set to see more targets, but true freshman Jermaine Bishop Jr. had a real chance to step into a bigger role. Bishop already had two catches for 34 yards when Coleman went down, and he had entered the game with 47 yards on four receptions after not recording any stats against Ohio State in Week 2.
That kind of boost mattered because Texas was struggling badly to run the ball against Tennessee’s defensive front, leaving even more on Manning’s shoulders. With Coleman sidelined, the margin for error got even thinner for an offense that was already having trouble finding any rhythm.
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