War Room:
The majority of Longhorn observers have been patiently waiting for Texas to anoint freshman Shane Buechele. Everyone believed the staff was holding off on making a decision in order to keep Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard motivated. That last thing this staff would do is give a freshman the job and leave those two guys uninterested during fall camp. No matter, when the dusted settled, it was going to be Buechele’s job.
Heard’s recent move to receiver solidified those beliefs. Everyone in the building realizes how important it is to get Heard on the field this season. Nobody wants Heard to leave UT in 2017 because he did not receive enough playing time this year. Moving Heard to receiver addresses that issue, and there can always be a switch back to quarterback – if necessary – this year, or next spring. Most believed Buechele would start with Swoopes coming off the bench in that 18-wheeler package. Everything was starting to make sense.
Well, the quarterback battle is still ongoing, but my sources in the building are currently saying the battle between Swoopes and Buechele has been pretty lopsided since practice began earlier this month.
Swoopes is so far ahead, some in the building believe it is just a matter of time before he – not Buechele – is named Texas’ opening day starter against Notre Dame.
“It’s not even close,” one source told me.
I will give you a minute to digest that. Take your time.
Once again, I need to make something clear. In no way am I, or any staff member, saying we believe Swoopes should be the opening-day starter. We have watched Swoopes play enough over the past two seasons and unanimously believe Buechele should start. Each mod thinks Buechele has a lot of upside. He was very impressive in the spring game. Buechele appears to be a leader. If the running game is as good as most Longhorn observers expect it to be, Buechele has the capability to win games by relying on D’Onta Foreman and Chris Warren.
After receiving this information, I proceeded to hammer the source with questions for several minutes. Are you serious? Is this a joke? How can anyone think about playing Swoopes again? Is this a joke? Do you realize what people are going to say? Is there someone in the building who wants to move from Austin after this season? Is this a joke?
Each answer was the same. The message was clear.
I was told Buechele needs to gain substantial ground if he wants a shot at starting against Notre Dame. Buechele needs to show everyone in the building a lot more on the practice field or he will be standing on the sidelines to start this season. That was more about praising Swoopes than taking a shot at Buechele.
“Like I said, it’s not even close,” one source told me. “Tyrone is running away with this position.”
I asked about the stories Texas coach Charlie Strong has shared throughout this offseason. Strong sharing stories about Buechele being a gym rat. We learned about Buechele practicing so late in the stadium on a Friday night, he called Strong and asked if he could unlock the indoor facility. Strong told everyone Buechele was so competitive, he usually dominates teammates in ping-pong. He repeatedly said starting a freshman would not be an issue for him, and always pointed to the success Teddy Bridgewater had during his first season at Louisville. It seemed like Strong was laying the foundation to eventually announce Buechele as his starter. There would enough information planted about Buechele to easily justify the decision.
Well, I was told all of those stories are true. However, it still does not change Swoopes being ahead of Buechele on the depth chart. Buechele shined in the spring game, but offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert told reporters that game would only be one part of his evaluation.
According to more than one person, Swoopes has routinely made the better throws in practice and been more consistent. The big plays in practice are usually from Swoopes. Buechele has been adequate, but has not done enough to earn the job – at this moment.
Yes, this sounds a lot like 2015.
Prior to that season, Swoopes excelled in practices before the season opener against Notre Dame. We consistently reported Swoopes was going to start in the first game instead of Heard. Swoopes notoriously excels in safe practice environments, but has routinely struggled in games. He often panics whenever an opposing defense applies pressure. Overthrowing open receivers has been an issue for Swoopes throughout his two seasons as a starter.
Obviously, every Longhorn fan remembers what occurred in the season opener against Notre Dame. After being told about the “new and improved Tyrone Swoopes,” and witnessing Watson shedding tears while discussing the quarterback, he looked clueless against Notre Dame. Watson’s play-calling duties were stripped, and Swoopes was benched, after that loss. Swoopes eventually reemerged in the 18-wheeler package. Many Longhorn observers expected Swoopes to see limited action as a running quarterback again this season.
That being said, here we are again.
I was told if Texas had to play against Notre Dame this weekend, Swoopes would start. Buechele would be on the sidelines. Heard would be in the mix at receiver. When I asked why Heard is playing receiver instead of competing for the quarterback position, especially if the freshman is that far behind the senior, I was told Swoopes and Buechele are still better options. Plus, Heard is apparently happy about being able to contribute as a receiver this season.
More than one person believes Swoopes can excel in Gilbert’s offense because it is less complicated than Shawn Watson’s system. In fact, coaches and players have expressed those sentiments on-the-record throughout the offseason. It is a tough for sell to Longhorn fans.
Is there still time for Buechele to catch up?
The answer is yes.
Nevertheless, Strong previously said he wanted to name a starter early in fall camp. If Strong does not waiver in that commitment, Longhorn fans need to prepare themselves for the possibility of having to watch Swoopes start the season as their team’s quarterback again. Right now, people in the building believe Swoopes gives Texas the best opportunity to win games this year, even if that means there will be a revolt among Longhorn fans.
As always, we will continue to monitor this situation and provide you with updates. (Richardson)
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Some quick notes from various sources regarding Thursday's closed full-pads practice; practice number six of fall camp.
- RB D'Onta Foreman was again suited up and worked out for the first part of practice, but spent the majority in the pit. It's an improvement from Day 5 where he was suited up but did not take part in any practice.
- RB Chris Warren missed the first two days of camp and was then activated for practice for the next three; reportedly two days in shorts and shells and one in full pads. However, Warren did not work out with the team on Thursday in practice 6 per a source.
- There have been reports that S Deshon Elliott has been taking snaps with the first group, which seems to be a reasonable assumption, but a source told OB today that Jason Hall is still the starter. The source said it doesn't really even matter, though, because "they're all going to have to play."
- S Brandon Jones is not pushing Dylan Haines in the same way at this time as it appears Elliott might be with Hall, however. At least not yet.
- Along the offensive line, the starting group remains the same. We're told that push is coming at that right tackle position, though, from both Denzel Okafor and Patrick Hudson -- who are quickly moving ahead of Day 1's second-team RT in Brandon Hodges.
- News on Hudson had been eerily quiet thus far for such a high-profile signing, so it was interesting to hear that he was the one working with the second group the most on Thursday.
- The battle at second LT behind Connor Williams seems to be taking place between freshman Jean Delance and RS FR Garrett Thomas. Both players have seemingly flip-flopped reps between the twos and the threes thus far.
- When one source was asked about freshman OL JP Urquidez he said that freshman DE Andrew Fitzgerald "beasted" on him in drills Thursday.
- Jerrod Heard remains significantly involved as an offensive weapon in practices per all sources. (Dunlap)
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Friday Morning Notes:
I caught up with a couple different people close to the football program last night and this morning to get their opinions on a few things. This wasn’t necessarily a case of me digging around for specific information, just more a case of shooting the bull with a couple people and bouncing ideas/notes off each other.
A few takeaways from my conversations:
--- Hearing the first-team quarterback reps are still being divided pretty evenly between Shane Buechele and Tyrone Swoopes.
Obviously, talk of the QB competition was a hot topic after last night’s War Room, in which OB’s Anwar Richardson reported that Swoopes holds the edge for the starting spot after the first week of practice.
One person I spoke with said the team has not been given any indication from the coaches on which way they may be leaning at this stage of camp. As mentioned above, the reps have been pretty even and the players on the team haven’t been told that one is out in front. Would they even care? I’m sure opinions will vary, but from what I’m told, the players just want to win and they’ll rally behind whichever quarterback is on the field.
--- This isn’t exactly “news,” but one person had an interesting take on the quarterback situation. And I tend to agree with his opinion.
In his eyes, the coaches have nothing to gain and everything to lose by starting Swoopes over Buechele. If Buechele struggles, there’s still room for improvement and the coaches can point toward his youth and any growth over the course of the season as positive developments. If Swoopes starts, the coaches better be extremely confident that he’s going to get the program turned around, because if he’s out there and struggles yet again, that could be tough for the coaches to overcome. Not to mention the fan backlash that will come from the decision. Lots less to lose by starting Beuchele.
One person I spoke with late last night speculated that the praise for Swoopes earl y in camp could be a coaching tactic to (a) take some pressure off Buechele and (b) make Notre Dame prepare for both quarterbacks. Pure speculation on his part and it was more just him and I having a casual conversation about the QB situation, but it does make some sense.
---- I was told by someone in the college coaching circles that one highly-regarded offensive-minded head coach told him this summer that if he had to pick a QB to run UT’s offense, it would be Swoopes. Mind you, this coach has zero ties to Texas, I just thought that was interesting.
--- As for the first few days in full pads, one person told me the coaches are “killing them right now.” That same source said he hopes the coaches back off a little bit in plenty of time for the season-opener to allow guys to recharge their batteries. Word is that some players felt last year’s pre-season camp wassointense, forsolong, guys were worn down when the season-opener finally rolled around.
--- Overall, the people I spoke with are both impressed with the team through the first week of practices. It will obviously come down to improved quarterback play, one person said, but team morale is totally different than the last two years.
“Everybody feels like part of the same team versus it being older guys or younger guys,” one source said.
--- If quarterback is the biggest question mark the team is facing, the situation at defensive tackle is probably second on the list. The true freshmen have stepped in and, for the most part, held their own, but one source had an interesting note.
The guys are good, he said, but they’re still young and there is still concern if they’re ready to hold up for the every-down grind of playing at this level.
“Even though their babies, you can rotate them in. Even if they’re 330 pounds, you have to remember that Malcom Brown 330 is not high school 330. A couple of them should probably be closer to 280. But they can rotate them in and keep them fresh, maybe give them five or six plays at a time.”
--- Interesting quote about the running backs …
“They’re all really good. All of them. They don’t get as much love, but even Tristian Houston is really good and Kyle Porter is a hoss.”
--- Brandon Hodges is about to get passed up and the young pups aren’t about to look back, I’m told. As I mentioned last week, Denzel Okafor has been the guy who has most impressed since the freshmen arrived on campus. That point was reiterated to me again late last night.
He’s running second team at right tackle behind Tristan Nickelson, who has had a solid camp. Nickelson battled an ankle injury in the spring and is now fully healthy. One source said Nickelson made dramatic strides from last year because he spent time working with Hassan Ridgeway when Ridgeway was training to get ready for the NFL, and Nickelson worked hard this summer to improve his footwork. Saturday’s scrimmage and the coming days could be key for offensive line depth chart projections.
--- The talk of Jerrod Heard playing at wide receiver has been a hot topic of late. Sources confirmed to me again last night and this morning that Heard began doing some work at the position right after spring practice ended in April. Apparently Heard is all in and feels this may be his best way to help the team and put himself in position to have a professional career.
One thought I threw out there, and one source agreed …
In the first few practices, when Heard was working at quarterback, there was little work in the passing game when he was on the field. Just about every play was either a zone read or scramble by Heard.
In the worst case scenario, should something happen to Swoopes and Buechele and the coaches needed to go back to Heard in an emergency situation, he could probably easily transition back to a running quarterback, similar to what Baylor did against Texas last year with converted wide receiver Lynx Hawhtorne. He wouldn’t exactly need a ton of reps to be ready, and by moving him out of the equation that gives the staff a better chance to evaluate Swoopes and Beuchele.
