Memphis loses flexible RB Smith for season

• Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterSep 7, 2024, 05:06 PM ET

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  • College football reporter.
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
  • Graduate of Northwestern University.Memphis will lack one

of its most flexible players as running back/returner Sutton Smith will miss out on the rest of the season with an ideal knee injury, coach Ryan Silverfield said Saturday.Smith, who had 509 kick return backyards and four offensive goals(2 rushing, 2 receiving) in 2023, suffered the injury in the very first quarter of recently’s game versus North Alabama. Silverfield stated following the North Alabama game that the preliminary outlook on Smith’s injury was not promising.A 5-foot-9, 185-pound junior, Smith was pegged to share running back tasks with Mario Anderson Jr., a transfer from South Carolina who had 125 hurrying yards and 2 touchdowns in Memphis ‘win against Troy on Saturday.Smith was on the preseason watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, provided to the nation’s most flexible player.Smith began two games last fall and one in 2023. Greg Desrosiers Jr., a transfer from UMass, is set to take on a bigger function alongside Anderson.Memphis sees Florida State next week.