Anthony Hill Jr. Injury Status Confirmed for Texas Longhorns vs. Texas A&M

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. has been dealing with an injury leading up to the matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies.

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

AUSTIN -- The Texas Longhorns will be without the leader of their defense against the Texas A&M Aggies.

Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., who was listed as questionable before being changed to a game-time decision against Texas A&M about 90 minutes before kickoff, will not play vs. the Aggies. He entered the field in street clothes during warmups at DKR.

Hill Jr. has been dealing with a hand injury he suffered in the loss to the Georgia Bulldogs. He eventually returned to the game but missed the following game against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Hill Jr. was not originally included on the list of players set to be honored for Senior Night, though that was subject to change before kickoff.

Steve Sarkisian Was Optimistic About Anthony Hill Jr. vs. Texas A&M

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. celebrates during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

After the win over Arkansas, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said that the team expected to have Hill Jr. back against Texas A&M.

"We'll be able to get him back next week," Sarkisian said of Hill Jr. after the game.

The Longhorns are already without linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith for the first half against the Aggies after being ejected for targeting in the second half of the Arkansas game.

"It's always good to have an All-American linebacker, you know, so hopefully we get him back," Sarkisian said. "But I was proud of Trey Moore and the way that he played, obviously, with Ty'Anthony (Smith), getting the targeting penalty there in the second half, we'll be down him in the first half of next week's game. So, getting Anthony back would be big."

In last year's 17-7 win over Texas A&M, Hill Jr. had five total tackles (three solo). Smith had one solo in that game.

"It's always good to have an All-American linebacker, you know, so hopefully we get him back," Sarkisian said. "But I was proud of Trey Moore and the way that he played, obviously, with Ty'Anthony (Smith), getting the targeting penalty there in the second half, we'll be down him in the first half of next week's game. So, getting Anthony back would be big."

Hill Jr.'s presence would undoubtedly be big for Texas against an explosive Texas A&M offense. The Aggies won't have running back Le'Veon Moss for the matchup but still possess major talent in the backfield with Rueben Owens and Amari Daniels.

If Hill Jr. is unable to go, the Longhorns will have to lean on Liona Lefau and Smith once he returns for the second half.