Texas LB Ty’Anthony Smith Among 6 Players That Missed First Scrimmage

The Texas Longhorns had some notable absences during their first fall scrimmage this weekend.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian revealed Saturday that linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith and five other players missed the scrimmage, as the team got hit with the flu bug. It's unclear who missed due to illness and who missed due to a potential injury.

Here are the six players who sat out:

- LB Rasheem Biles
- CB John Meredith III
- LB Ty'Anthony Smith
- WR Daylan McCutcheon
- DL Justus Terry
- LB Brad Spence

Ty'Anthony Smith Has Faced Tough Competition at Linebacker

Texas Longhorns linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith (26) celebrates after the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns lost multiple linebackers this offseason, as Anthony Hill Jr. headed off to the NFL while Liona Lefau and Elijah Barnes chose to enter the transfer portal.

In return, Texas brought in four linebackers out of the portal, adding Rasheem Biles (Pitt), Justin Cryer (Florida State), Markus Boswell (Akron) and Darius Snow (Michigan State).

As one of the key returners at linebacker, Smith was expected to step in as a starter in 2026 alongside Biles, especially after ending last season on a high note with two interceptions in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan.

However, Smith's offseason shoulder surgery, along with the emergence of Cryer during fall camp, has created an interesting position battle. Smith missed most of spring and hasn't gotten truly ramped up until recently, something Sarkisian pointed out last week.

"We all know the athleticism of Ty'Anthony, and he's starting to flash more," Sarkisian said. "He flashed more today than he has in any practice, which is a good sign."

On the flip side of that, Cryer has continued to receive major praise from Sarkisian. Signs have been pointing to Smith's projected starting job being in danger.

Ty'Anthony Smith's Texas Career

Smith arrived as a true freshman in 2024 and wasted little making an impact, as he played in all 16 games that season.

This was highlighted by snagging an interception in the win over Florida and recording half a sack two weeks later against Kentucky.

In 2025, Smith stepped into a bigger role on defense. He played in 12 games (one start) while posting 59 total tackles (39 solo), two sacks, two forced fumbles, and the aforementioned two interceptions against Michigan.

After getting ejected for targeting in the second half against Arkansas, Smith had to miss the first half of the following game vs. Texas A&M but returned and posted four total tackles in an upset win over the Aggies.

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