Texas wide receiver Jake Smith will unfortunately not be available for the season opener against UTEP on Sept. 12.
Smith has been one of the most impressive players throughout Texas’ fall camp. He’s listed as the starter in the slot and is expected to take over the primary role that Devin Duvernay thrived in last season.
It was reported on Wednesday that Smith had suffered an injury, but the severity was unclear. Texas head coach Tom Herman cleared the air on Thursday morning in an interview with The Horn.
Tom Herman on @TheHornATX said WR Jake Smith has a grade 1 hamstring injury. He is expected back for the Texas Tech game on Sept. 26
— Longhorns Wire (@LonghornsWire) September 10, 2020
Herman noted that Smith suffered a mild hamstring strain. There are three different grades given to the severity of a hamstring injury, Smith’s particular case typically takes around one to three weeks to heal.
These specific muscle strains can linger on throughout the season, so it’s certainly smart to rest Smith against UTEP considering Texas is highly-favored.
Smith is expected to be available for the first conference game against Texas Tech on Sept. 26.