Texas is expected to go into Saturday’s SEC showdown with Ole Miss without Colin Simmons and Richard Wesley, leaving the Longhorns short of their top two JACK edge rushers at exactly the wrong time. The latest Colin Simmons Injury update underlines how quickly the edge picture has changed for Texas.
Simmons suffered what was reported to be an ankle sprain in Texas’s loss to Florida last week, and he was later listed as doubtful on the SEC Availability report. Wesley was then listed as OUT on the same report because of an ankle sprain, creating a significant issue for Texas on the edge.
Texas lose both top JACK options
The concern for Texas is not just that two players are unavailable. It is that both injuries sit in the same part of the defence, where pressure off the edge is a key part of how the Longhorns want to play.
With Simmons and Wesley expected to be unavailable, the depth chart points to Colton Vasek as the third option at JACK. That puts extra pressure on the next man up to handle a bigger role against Ole Miss.
Wesley’s injury raises longer-term questions
Anwar Richardson reported that Wesley sustained a high ankle sprain and could miss the remainder of the regular season. He said there were concerns behind the scenes about the length of the absence, while also noting that the focus is on treatment in hopes of a speedy recovery.
Richardson also said Texas is expected to face Ole Miss without edge rushers Colin Simmons and Wesley. That is the clearest indication yet of how much the situation has shifted for Texas ahead of Saturday.
For Texas, the immediate question is whether the defence can maintain its edge without its top two JACK rushers. The next test against Ole Miss will tell the story quickly enough.
