The No. 17 Massachusetts football team may have won big over Bryant this past weekend, but they also suffered an even bigger loss in the game.
All-American cornerback Sean Smalls will miss the remainder of the regular season due to a crack in his hip he suffered in the victory.
Smalls first went down in the first quarter of the 42-7 victory over Bryant, when he was tripped up as he was crossing the Bulldogs goal line on a punt return; the return was called back, however, due to a block in the back.
"On the punt return I was basically jogging in and the punter clipped my ankles and I just came down on [my hip] wrong," Smalls said.
Smalls returned on the next Bryant offensive drive for a few plays before needing assistance to get off the field.
"It first happened on the punt return, but I was able to still move around and then on one of those plays when I went back in, it just gave out, I just felt a pop," Smalls said.
The cornerback was seen on the sidelines for the remainder of the game with crutches.
Smalls was still hopeful that he may be ready to go if his team makes the playoffs.
"They said four to six weeks so unless we make the playoffs that's pretty much it for me," Smalls said. "The way it is looking right now I wouldn't have to have surgery, but I just have to let it rest and let it heal and then rehab."
UMass (5-3, 2-2 Colonial Athletic Association) coach Don Brown, however was not as hopeful when asked if there was an outside chance his All-American cornerback might play again this year.
"It doesn't look good," Brown said on Tuesday. "It is a crack in the hip bone, it doesn't matter how big it is, it's significant."
The loss of Smalls is huge for UMass' defense. As a whole, the defense has been strong in its past couple of games, in part because of what was considered one of the best cornerback tandems in the country coming into the season according to Brown.
Smalls and Courtney Robinson anchored a secondary that had given up under 100 yards passing in four of its last six games and gave up an average of just over 160 yards over eight games. Against the four CAA opponents the Minutemen have faced, that average drops down to 103 yards per game.
The injury may not only end the season for Smalls, it may end his UMass career unless the Minutemen make the playoffs and he is ready to play. The true senior had started in 36 consecutive games for the Maroon and White and recorded two interceptions in his career, one which he returned 90 yards - fourth longest in UMass history - for a touchdown. Both interceptions came during the captain's junior season, a year where he also had 12 passes defended.
Smalls career numbers may not be eye popping, but they were deceiving. Opposing offenses have shied away from Smalls' half of the field because of his talent. His presence has been one of the main reasons the opposition has not had success throwing against UMass. Three times the Minutemen's defense has given up fewer than 10 completions and on six occasions they gave up 15 or less.
Corey Davis and Reshaude Goodwin will be looked upon to fill the void left by Smalls and Brown feels they are ready for the job.
"[Davis and Goodwin] have been playing so it's not like we're thrusting guys in with no experience. They got to look at it like it is there time to shine," Brown said.
True junior Jeromy Miles will also be looked to without Smalls. The free safety has come up big on multiple occasions over the year including a key interception to put the game out of reach against Delaware and a fumble recovery late in the fourth quarter the following week against Northeastern.
"I actually said something to Miles on Sunday, basically saying this is your secondary now, just take it over," Smalls said. "I have a lot of faith in those guys, they have been here for awhile."
Jeffrey R. Larnard can be reached at jlarnard@dailycollegian.com.
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