After two rounds of off-season shoulder surgery, Pickryl started the first two games of the season but did not travel to Rice. After reinjuring a shoulder in his final start against Tulane, true freshman Tim Crowder has held down LDE for Texas. Crowder, the first true freshman to see action in 2003, has 15 tackles, seven QB pressures and two PBD. He has logged three career starts.
The hard-hitting Smith was a sudden impact player last spring and during two-a-days but didn’t last a half in the season opener against New Mexico State.
"We’re getting to the end here and it’s a shame for (Smith) but he’s still wanting to play," Brown said Monday. "We’ll talk to him again this week, but he’s got five (games) left, and if things work out six or seven, so if you look at it that way, it’s half a season and he’d want to come back and play. But if he can’t play in the next couple of weeks, we’ve got to really consider a medical hardship because he only played two quarters."
RS freshman Brian Robison stepped in behind Smith at Mike before getting banged up against Kansas State. That opened the door for sophomore Aaron Harris, who impressed with his aggressive, teeth-rattling hits in the past three contests. Harris has 23 tackles, 6 QB pressures and one forced fumble on the season.