OB War Room:
- Random nugget: Someone told me former Texas LT Marcus Hutchins would be working out at the Cowboys "Dallas Day" tomorrow where draft hopefuls from the area come in for a tryout.
- It was apparently a shorts and shoulder pads practice on Thursday and a light one. It was the first practice of this type since practice No. 2, so maybe it was the coaches letting the players recharge a little after what was a down practice in No. 10 Tuesday.
- D'Onta Foreman will be treated with kid gloves. Even before the minor rib bruise injury, we've been told that the staff only planned on using Foreman for about a quarter in the spring game if healthy. All it is is bruised ribs, he'll be fine, but I wouldn't expect to see too much of Foreman in the spring.
- With Foreman limited, Roderick Bernard is getting more carries. This is because RS FR Tristian Houston has also been nursing an injury. It will be interesting to see how a Roderick Bernard - Kirk Johnson battle for change-of-pace duties will play out in the fall because both are spoken of so highly.
- One person said of all the position groups making an impact with their play and style it's the DBs, the source said they hold things down and get noticeably very upset when big plays come against them. "They take a lot of pride in their coverage," one person said.
- Breckyn Hager continues to get run at the defensive end, he is now officially cross-training at both the ILB and DE positions it seems, but with increasing frequency at DE - which is very interesting. Hager seems to be a player who'll figure on the field, at least somehow in 2016.
- People say Kirk Johnson is just a beast. He'll be fine by the time summer rolls around. One person said he's sprinting just fine right now (right knee).
- One person said he "really liked the way the ball came of (kicker) Evan Moore's foot." It will be interesting to watch Moore in the spring game. This is the first I've heard all spring of the kickers. (Dunlap)
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When Texas coach Charlie Strong said he would not be afraid to play Shane Buechele during a press conference on Tuesday, it was hard to know if he was 100 percent serious. Coaches are known for using the media to motivate their players. Sometimes a coach will praise a player to motivate other guys to try harder. Coaches are known to rip players if they want to light a fire under a person who is underachieving.
On the surface, Strong could have been trying to light a fire under Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard. If you want to motivate two veteran quarterbacks, one way to achieve that goal would be to say positive things about a true freshman. If Strong was trying to play Jedi mind tricks, everything he said about Buechele would make sense.
However, Strong is not playing head games with anyone.
He was dead serious.
After Strong’s press conference, I checked with my sources inside the building and was told Buechele is not only in the mix for playing time this season, but he has a shot to start in the season opener against Notre Dame. Right now, it is an outside chance. He still has a lot of work to do before anyone in the building is ready to give Buechele the team. Yet, everyone is becoming more comfortable with the thought of Buechele taking over.
Before anyone buys a No 16 jersey, take a deep breath. Swoopes is still the No. 1 quarterback, and that is not expected to change anytime soon. He is a veteran who has been consistent throughout this spring. Obviously, Texas fans know there is a big difference between practice and real games when it comes to Swoopes, but he remains the starter right now.
When it comes to Heard, he has not lost the No 2 yet. Heard’s current shoulder injury is hurting his ability to take practice reps in Sterlin Gilbert’s offense. Nobody in the building is worried about Heard falling too far behind. As Strong said on Tuesday, he still has a chance to have mental reps on the sidelines and in the film room. There are still people who believe in Heard as a quarterback.
However, as one source was telling me about Heard, he immediately switched back to Buechele and said, “This #$%& kid can play.”
The acknowledgment of Buechele’s potential behind the scenes is significant because the freshman is receiving an endorsement other players in Gilbert’s quarterback room have not been given. As we have reported for several months, Kai Locksley is not in the mix to play quarterback this season. Right now, it appears his only two options are switching to receiver at Texas, or transferring to a junior college and pursuing a desire to play quarterback after the spring game. Meanwhile, Matthew Merrick was a fourth-string quarterback, and a back injury ended his very slim chance of seeing the field this year.
Buechele is winning over supporters behind the scenes with his work ethic, command of Gilbert’s offense and throwing ability. From what I have been told, every player on the team, including Swoopes, has acknowledged Buechele is special. Again, that does not mean he will start in the season opener. It just means everyone is starting to become more comfortable with that possibility.
One of the key quote from Strong’s press conference applies to Buechele. I asked Strong what it would take for Swoopes’ practice performance to translate to meaningful games, and he pointed to confidence: “There’s so much that plays a part. You've got to have an offensive line that can protect him, and he’s got to be confident in his offensive line. You have running backs right now who can run the ball. You've got to have receivers who can make the catches. It all plays into one. I know we put so much into one position, but it’s not just one position. You have 11 guys out there on offense, and they have to play together, and just make sure we manage the offense well enough for not only Tyrone, but if it’s Buechele. Whomever is in there, they have to be able … Jerrod … they have to be able to move the football and make the right throws and put us in the right place.”
The reason why Buechele has a chance to play is because everyone believes it is ultimately up to everyone around the quarterback to play better. They believe having D’Onta Foreman and Chris Warren as two legit ground options will take pressure off the starting quarterback. John Burt and Collin Johnson are two playmakers expected to receive playing time this season. In addition, the offense is simple and easy for quarterbacks, especially a young guy like Buechele, to understand. Since Buechele operated in a system similar to Gilbert’s in high school, his transition has been very smooth.
Obviously, Buechele’s performance in the spring game will help his case. Last year, Swoopes and Heard struggled during the spring game. If Buechele outperforms Swoopes, he will give the staff a lot to think about during the offseason.
So far, staff thinks starting Buechele is a realistic option. (Richardson)
A few comments on the play of the QBs from observers of Saturday's scrimmage. The more people I talk to, the more I realize that there's really no consensus on who looks better out of Tyrone Swoopes and Shane Buechele.
"From what I've seen, Shane was balling. When they battle, that makes both of them better," one person said.
"To be honest, they all look the same to me. I can't really tell you because I'm not in it, but I feel like they're on the same level," a second person said. "I think Shane had a turnover but you have one guy with experience and has been in the game for a while, so he knows how the DBs play."
"So far, they both look pretty good. You can't really complain. Shane is more relaxed. Tyrone is that quarterback that is very fast-paced, tempo guy. But Shane is so relaxed so they're pretty close." (Suchomel)
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You have heard this before, and are going to hear it again.
Texas freshman receiver Collin Johnson is giving everyone in the building goose bumps.
One source told me if the season began today, Johnson would be a starter. He is doing everything the right way, and has been unstoppable at times throughout practice. Everyone in the building believes Johnson is going to be a match-up nightmare whenever he steps on the field.
“I don’t praise kids a lot, but this kid here is the real deal,” a source told me.
Most fans have only been able to watch small clips of Johnson during practice, but everyone in the building is expecting him to put on a show during the spring game. (Richardson)
I have a feeling if you asked the coaches that question they'd probably say because of the other 4 guys on the field, only the senior had a clue of what to do. The rest were too inexperienced. They've been challenging Hall to "learn the game" thru film all spring and step it up 'cuz his job is in peril.
