Smart Breaks Leg, Out For Orange Bowl

by Mike Rutherford on Dec 28, 2006 4:05 PM EST in News

Senior cornerback Gavin Smart will miss Tuesday's Orange Bowl after breaking his right leg in in practice Thursday morning.

Smart was carted off the field at Barry University with a protective boot placed on his right foot and taken to South Miami Hospital. U of L officials confirmed he broke his right fibia.

The starter is second on the team with three interceptions and also second with eight pass breakups.

790 just confirmed the news and said that Smart is out for the game and will have surgery once the team returns to Louisville.

You hate to see anyone get injured right before what is supposed to be a reward for an outstanding regular season, but it's especially gut-wrenching when it's a senior that goes down. Gavin has been wonderful since Rod Council went down in the season opener against Kentucky, and you would have loved to see him go out with a bang in the biggest game of his life.

The loss of Smart would obviously be a much bigger deal if Wake Forest threw the ball better, but it's still always a blow when a dependable player in the secondary goes down. Council, who was billed as the team's best cover corner heading into the season, has developed a propensity for getting beat deep, and all it takes is one play to make an offense looks good.