Injuries leave Bobcats thin at receiver
Texas State also loses defensive end Davis with ACL tear.
After a 44-14 throttling by UT-San Antonio this past weekend, the Texas State Bobcats (1-3) are now dealing with injuries ahead of their matchup at Wyoming (2-2) on Saturday.
Three key receivers suffered injuries in the loss to UTSA — juniors Mason Hays, Dennis Johnson and sophomore Thurman Morbley. Starting defensive end Ishmael Davis sustained a torn ACL.
“Not a good day today, injury-wise,” said Texas State head coach Everett Withers at his weekly press conference on Monday. “Three wide receivers that were injured in the ball game will put a strain on that position for the week.”
Hays, who fractured his fibula, is scheduled for surgery on Thursday and is out indefinitely. He has started all four games this season and had nine catches for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Morbley and Johnson both separated their shoulders on Saturday against the Roadrunners. Johnson is also dealing with bruised ribs. Both players are questionable for Saturday’s game against the Cowboys.
Morbley has 10 receptions, the second-most on the team, and 120 yards receiving. Johnson has three catches for 21 yards.
“It’s part of the game, you’re going to have injuries,” Withers said. “What that does is that gives somebody else behind those guys an opportunity to go play.”
Withers said he expects freshman receivers Jeremiah Haydel and Caleb Twyford to have increased roles. Haydel has been the Bobcats’ primary kick returner and has two catches on the year, one for a 9-yard touchdown last week. Twyford has yet to get a reception.
Davis will be out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Davis has started in each of Texas State’s four games and leads all defensive linemen in tackles with 19. He also registered 1.5 tackles for a loss and a fumble recovery.
Sophomore Dean Taylor and junior Grant Lanza are expected to have increased roles at defensive tackle, while sophomore Jordan Mittie will move from tackle to end to replace Davis.
The Bobcats were without outside linebackers Easy Anyama and Hal Vinson against UTSA, but they are both expected to play this week. Anyama has missed the last two games with a groin injury.
Vinson started for Anyama against Appalachian State, registering a teamhigh 10 tackles against the Mountaineers. He has a total of 17 tackles, including three for a loss.
Due to their injuries last week, Texas State started inside linebacker Gabe Loyd on the outside and Nikolas Daniels at inside linebacker.
Honoring a former teammate: Sophomore Clifton Lewis Jr. wore No. 24 against UTSA to honor his former high school teammate Robert Grays, a sophomore cornerback at Midwestern State who died last week from complications of a neck injury. Lewis and Grays were teammates at Fort Bend Hightower High School in the Houston area. Safety Kordell Rodgers normally wears No. 24, but gave up his number for Lewis and wore his old No. 12. Withers said he wasn’t sure if the number switch will be permanent, but said it will be if both players choose to keep it that way.