Tennessee junior receiver Josh Smith didn’t always seem like himself during the 2016 season.
The Knoxville native and Christian Academy of Knoxville product posted a career-low 97 receiving yards on 13 catches during Tennessee’s 9-4 campaign. He never had more than 30 yards in an individual game as he rotated with freshman receiver Tyler Byrd in the slot. Smith had career high numbers of 23 catches, 307 yards and two touchdowns in 2015.
There may have been a medical reason for his slower-than-expected production. He was dealing with what appears to be a very serious injury, according to Jimmy Hyams of WNML-FM in Knoxville.
Tennessee rising senior WR Josh Smith will miss spring practice after having surgery in Philadelphia on Thursday to repair two groin
tears.— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) January 6, 2017
Tennessee will need more from Smith in his senior season with junior Josh Malone moving on to the NFL. Smith, Jauan Jennings and Byrd are the only three returning wide receivers that have seen significant playing time. He’ll have to wait until fall, however, to get back on the practice field.
