Practice Report Injury #30

11/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football

Nov. 8, 2005

Houston - Two young players who had their first starts of the season at SMU cut short by injury will have surgery this week.

Sophomore Scott Austin and freshman Bencil Smith both suffered broken hands early in last week's 27-7 loss at Dallas and will be lost for the remaining three games of the season. Austin, a converted center from Tyler, was seeing his first action at tight end. Smith, a product of Houston's Lamar HS, was getting his first start at rover.

Some good news from Tuesday's workout was the return to practice of fullback Andrew Cates. The junior has missed the last two games with a wrist injury.

"It was good to get Andrew back out here practicing," said coach Ken Hatfield. "It's good to see what he can do."

The Owls host Tulane Saturday at 2 pm in historic Rice Stadium in the 2005 Rice Homecoming game.