The University of Texas Longhorns football team has dismissed one of its top returning defensive stars.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian announced on Saturday that linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith had been dismissed from the program due to conduct detrimental to the team.
Smith had 60 tackles last season, the second-most of any returning member of the Longhorns defense. Of those, 5.5 tackles were for a loss. He also had two sacks and two forced fumbles.
He played in 12 games last season and got his first start against Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. In that game he had nine tackles and two interceptions.
Smith’s dismissal was announced on Friday evening after he had been battling the flu the week prior. He was competing with a pair of transfers, Rasheem Biles of Pitt and Justin Cryer of Florida State, for the starting job.
‘I didn’t like it,’ Sarkisian said. ‘It’s an unfortunate situation for him individually. For us as a team, I hate that. He’s a quality player, but I have to think about the team first.’
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian (R) has dismissed defensive star Ty’Anthony Smith (L)
Smith was dismissed for ‘conduct detrimental to the team’ amid his fight for a starting job
Smith had the second-most tackles of all returning defensive players for the Longhorns
Smith was projected to have a bigger role after the departures of Anthony Hill Jr and Trey Moore to the NFL, paired with Liona Lefau’s transfer to Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes.
‘Guys are going to have to grow into certain roles,’ Sarkisian said.
‘I think when we do want to go into our base package that we’ve got the right people on the field. How many snaps a game that is really is depending on the opponent.’
Sarkisian praised the FSU senior transfer, Cryer, on a Zoom call with reporters on Saturday.
‘[Cryer] is squeezing every ounce of juice that he can out of this opportunity to be at Texas, and it’s greatly appreciated,’ Sarkisian said.
‘I think it serves as a great model for a lot of the other transfers. This guy didn’t wait and feel it out to “Where do I fit in?”
‘He’s gone for it. And I think he’s reaping the benefits of it. He’s playing at a high level for us right now.’
