Texas Football: How long could All-American LT Connor Williams be out?

After suffering a knee injury that has forced surgery, Texas football’s Connor Williams may be out for quite some time — potentially all of 2017.

Tom Herman has had to deal with his fair share of injuries in his first year as Texas football’s head coach. First, he lost starting quarterback Shane Buechele to injury, forcing his hand which has led to Sam Ehlinger’s breakout.

Now it’s starting left tackle, and All-American, Connor Williams. The junior tackle injured his knee on Saturday and has since been diagnosed with an MCL and PCL sprain, along with a meniscus tear. Bad news for the Longhorns.

Just how long could the PCL and MCL sprain along with a meniscus tear take to heal and rehabilitate? According to OrthoInfo.com, that process could be at least three months, it not longer. While the sprains to the PCL and MCL are less serious, that could tack on even more time to his recovery.

It’s a tough blow for the Longhorns who just played one of their best games in years at USC. The overtime loss against the Trojans was still a confidence-booster, but now that they have to move forward without an All-American left tackle to pave the way, the 2017 outlook is much gloomier.

Although this is not me saying that he’s “100 percent” out for the remainder of his junior year, because I’m not a doctor, it is looking like the diagnosis is one that would require a multi-month recovery. That’s a huge blow to a run game and a young quarterback like the one Texas has.

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Texas has a tough road ahead in Big 12 play and without the big All-American left tackle to lead the way in the trenches, it could be a tough year. Still, all hope is not yet lost.