Multiple sources have reported that Tennessee wide receiver Josh Smith will miss 2-6 weeks due to a high ankle sprain. Smith suffered the injury in the the Vols’ 34-10 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday.
Smith finished with 58 yards and Tennessee’s only touchdown on five catches before leaving the game in the second half. The Knoxville native was off to an impressive start with 135 yard and a touchdown on 10 receptions as the Vols’ slot receiver. Smith made it a personal goal to improve after a disappointing freshman season in 2013 that was riddled with injuries and dropped passes.
“I think it gave me experience; now I know what to expect,” Smith told GoVols247. “But that’s no excuse. There are no excuses. If you come here as a true freshman and don’t expect to play, I don’t know what you’re doing. I wanted to play. I expected to play, and I was fighting to play. But I just didn’t execute last season like I wanted to. But it’s behind me, and it’s a whole new year.
“Last season … I mean … how does that not motivate you, really? But last season is behind me. I just had to fight through it. We didn’t have a lot of depth. Just had to do it.”
Smith is the second wide receiver to suffer a high ankle sprain for Tennessee this season. No. 2 wideout Von Pearson was sidelined in the Vols Week 2 win over Arkansas State after enjoying a breakout performance. Smith was considered one of the top candidates to see increased targets in Pearson’s absence, before suffering his own injury.
A former freelance journalist from Nashville, Jason covers Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky
