The Texas Longhorn football season is now just 12 days away, and it can’t get here any faster. The main storyline of fall camp has been discussing the QB battle between Hudson Card and Casey Thompson for who lines up under center this season. However, the winner of this QB competition isn’t the only quarterback to focus on as the season nears.
Texas will play 12 starting QBs over the course of the season, and while things can change on a whim in college football leading to someone new starting when it comes time to face Texas, it’s still worth diving in and looking ahead at a ranking of the 12 projected QBs that Texas will face this year.
Regardless of who lines up at QB, Kansas has a lot of work to do at numerous positions before it can get into the realm of consistent competition compared to the rest of the Big 12. However, for the sake of this article, I will assume Bean is the QB who ends up getting the starting nod.
Analysis: If I played you some Jason Bean highlights, you might be impressed and even get a little worried about what he’s capable of. Bean flashes some impressive traits whether it be his long frame, his solid velocity, or his ability to create plays with his legs, there is true potential there.
Highlights and potential are great, but a snap to snap basis is the only way to judge someone and that’s where the headaches for Bean’s play come in. He has a slow release, which could play into possible turnovers in the Big 12, and he struggles to make simple reads too often as a passer. Posting a completion percentage under 55% last season, there is a lot to work on for Bean. I’m not confident he takes those necessary steps in a football program like Kansas that desperately needs help all over the field.
How to Beat Him: Forcing Bean to beat you with his brain is probably the easiest way to put it: disguised coverages, sporadic blitzes, pre-snap shifts to throw off his initial plans. There is a lot that can be done to get in the head of a QB that still has a lot of work to do. With the hype the defensive line has gotten in camp so far, Bean could be in for a long day.
11. Luke McCaffrey (Rice)Background: With his brother being a top running back in the NFL, there was a certain set of expectations for McCaffrey that were just never met in his two seasons at Nebraska.
Seeking a fresh start, McCaffrey entered the transfer portal and drew headlines this summer following a short stint at Louisville where he transferred just a week later for the opportunity to be an immediate starter. That opportunity came at Rice University, where the Owls are coming off of a 2-3 season and are looking to replace Mike Collins at QB.
The Rice Owls roll into Austin on September 18 for what will likely be their most difficult game of the season. McCaffrey will no doubt have a bit of a chip on his shoulder to prove he belongs as a QB at the FBS level, and to bounce back from what has been a disappointing first few years of his college experience.
Analysis: The available college tape on McCaffrey is limited, but it doesn’t take much to see that he offers tremendous athleticism for the position. Escapability will be huge for any quarterback going against the Longhorns front seven, and McCaffrey will certainly be able to pick up some yards with his legs.
As far as weaknesses go, McCaffrey still has plenty of work to do as a passer. He can extend plays with his legs, but his natural anticipation and progressions still need plenty of work, and in a new offense those issues could build up over the course of the season. McCaffrey also doesn’t have the greatest arm talent, leaving his downfield passing ability a major question mark heading into the season.
How to Beat Him: The Longhorns enter the season with plenty of attention on the defensive line. However, most of that attention comes on the interior. In order to shut down McCaffrey, interior pressure is great, but containing him on the outside and limiting his chance to extend plays is crucial. Keeping heavy numbers in the box and disguising blitz packages should keep McCaffrey and the Owls’ offense on its toes to where keeping him in check shouldn’t be too daunting of a task for the Longhorns.
With a 3 game slate of Texas State, Texas Southern, and Kansas to kick off the season, don’t be surprised to see all QBs get some reps. Whether it be due to shakiness in play or dominance that we see the back-ups get additional time. However, the Bears will need to feel 100% comfortable by Week 4 as Iowa State comes to town if they have hopes of competing.
Analysis: Bohanon is an athlete, recruited by schools like Alabama and Georgia to play linebacker, there is plenty of notable natural ability that Bohanon possesses. The mobility of his game is going to be his main selling point if the coaches give him the nod as starter, but Bohanon has shown decent ability with the deep ball as well. At 6’3 and 221 pounds, Bohanon will be hard to bring down.
Inexperience is the overlapping weakness of all the Baylor options at QB this year, not a single QB has a start under their belt. However, inexperience isn’t necessarily a death sentence. For Bohanon, his passing still needs much refinement. Natural talent can only carry you so far, and Bohanon will need work to get better touch and placement as a passer for both him and the Baylor offense to take major strides forward this season.
How to Beat Him: Keeping Bohanon contained as a runner is the best way to slow down this Baylor offense. Keeping many guys aware and ready to crash down when the play breaks is huge. Expect for Texas to throw a lot of spy assignments at Baylor when they face off on October 30.
Shough now heads to Lubbock where he teams up with third-year head coach Matt Wells who has been active in the transfer portal this offseason in hopes of seeing major progress on the field and in the win column.
Analysis: Shough offers some impressive traits that any offensive coach would love to get their hands on, starting with his tremendous frame measuring in at 6’5 and 221 pounds. The arm talent shows glimpses of tremendous upside, that when things get clicking there is a very clear deep ball ability that could work wonderfully for Texas Tech if fully unlocked. Shough can get moving a little bit too, while he is primarily a pocket passer, don’t let him catch you off guard or he will capitalize on the open field for a big gain.
Hinted at in the pro’s section, Shough has a bit of a consistency issue. His overall release and touch as a passer still needs a bit of work as his ball placement can be difficult to handle at times. The biggest question for Shough’s delivery is if he can clean up the ball’s spiral? Too often, Shough throws a ball that wobbles in mid-air killing out his chance to truly get all he can on some of his passes. As a young QB, these are all very fixable things, and hopefully with the new environment and loads of confidence in him, he can get off to a good start for the Red Raiders.
How to Beat Him: Shough is someone that seems to be very confidence driven in terms of performance. While it’s easier said than done, the best way to get him at his lowest is to force mistakes early for the Red Raiders offense and hopefully kill all momentum for the game. In terms of schematics, I believe forcing Shough to make tight window throws is the best plan of action, as he still needs plenty of refinement in that regard as a passer.
West Virginia comes off of a 6-4 season, returning a large part of talent back for another season. The reports coming out of camp are that Doege has shown improvement, could the Mountaineers put together a surprise season and make some noise in the Big 12?
Analysis: Doege is a consistent steady passer at the college football level that most programs would love to have. While he maybe doesn’t wow you with his arm strength or turn in highlight runs, he does the little things to help the whole machine operate. Doege also does a nice job reading and processing plays to make quick decisions and limit turnovers.
As far as weaknesses go, Doege doesn’t blow you away in terms of natural talent that many other high end QBs are gifted with. He can float the ball a bit too much when trying to work the ball downfield, he isn’t going to kill you as a runner (though he can pick up yards if you give him open field) Ultimately, Doege is what many would label a “game manager.” While this title is overused and not always a bad thing, I think it is a good representation of his physical limitations.
How to Beat Him: While Doege isn’t a scrub, he is going to be the one to beat you if you’re Texas because you cannot let Leddie Brown get the chance to run all over you. Forcing Doege to beat you consistently down field with the athletes that Texas has outside should result in a favorable finish for the Longhorns when they travel to Morgantown on November 20.
There is still plenty of work for Duggan to do, but the Horned Frogs bring in plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. If Duggan takes a step forward then TCU should be a tough beat come October 2.
Analysis: Duggan’s progression from year one to year two has to be the biggest selling point of his strengths. There is talent in his game, but converting that talent into results is huge and the growth shown in one season is promising for the QB going forward. Duggan is impressively mobile, able to pick up yards consistently with his legs. He also showed an impressive ability to push the ball downfield more consistently. Also, Duggan was able to make nice throws even when getting blown up, a testament to the toughness he possesses.
Duggan still has a long way to go in terms of consistency, he can float passes for his receivers that really give far too much of an opportunity for turnovers. With that inconsistent touch comes misplacement of passes too. With a low 60 completion percentage, Duggan will need to continue improving his precision in order to lead TCU to major accomplishments this year.
How to Beat Him: Until Duggan proves otherwise, he still has a lot of work to do as a passer. Sadly, he seems to have some secret stuff to help him become a stud when going against the Longhorns, but if they can get his completion percentage down in the range of his normal outings, then Texas could pick up a major win against TCU and be on track for a very strong season in Sarkisian’s first year as head coach.
Lewis returns for his fifth season with Louisiana after going 10-1 in 2020. The chip on his shoulder shouldn’t be overlooked, as Lewis looks to bounce back, after having a less efficient season as a passer compared to his prior seasons with the program.
Analysis: Lewis is an exciting college quarterback who is filled with natural talent. He flashes great mobility and even has some impressive zip at times as a passer. While the arm strength goes up and down, Lewis can deliver some impressive deep passes if given the chance to go over the top. Part of the play into success for a QB is experience and a strong supporting cast, Lewis brings both of those to the table.
Short players have been a common trend at the QB position, or at least shorter QBs aren’t being forced out in favor of a 6’3+ option. However, Lewis’ height can be seen as an issue on tape as he struggles with downfield vision as a passer and seems to struggle to make proper reads and instead decides his targets pre-snap. A lot of Lewis’ completions are manufactured, and taking away the short passing game shows off his inaccuracies as a passer when he has to work downfield.
How to Beat Him: Established a bit in the analysis above, beating Lewis is taking away the short work. Keeping dump and sweep passes contained in order to force Lewis to convert longer plays will reward this defense with plenty of favors to themselves. While Louisiana is no easy task for a season opener, Texas can win if it forces Lewis to beat them without the screen and shovel passes picking up yards.
Analysis: Jefferson is going to be a tough draw for most teams to match up against. The QB has a natural cannon for an arm with ability to throw downfield with ease. Not to mention getting to work with and develop under an offensive coordinator who is as talented as Kendal Briles (regardless of how you feel about him off-field, he is undeniably impressive as a coach). Jefferson’s most intriguing trait is his pure size/athleticism combo, listed at 6’3 and 245 pounds, Jefferson is hard to bring down with plenty of speed to make plays along with that. If you’re looking for a lottery ticket type QB in college football, Jefferson is a good bet to reap rewards.
While the intrigue is high and the sample size is small, there are still some concerns with Jefferson’s game. His work as a pocket passer could improve, as he has an inconsistent delivery that can result in sporadic accuracy in the short to medium pass game. The inexperience could shine as well, in his match-up against Texas he will be getting just his fifth game of major experience, and fourth overall start, a defensive coordinator like Kwiatkowski could find ways to expose that.
How to Beat Him: Keeping plenty of deep coverage is probably the best play for a defense as strong as Texas. While Jefferson can make plays with his legs, I think the front seven is fast enough to keep him semi-contained as a runner. However, you can’t ever have enough coverage help when working against a receiver duo like Burks and Woods. With Jefferson’s inexperience, I expect a lot of disguised looks and chaos schemes to try to confuse him as well. Don’t sleep on the Razorbacks this season. The 3-7 record from last year doesn’t tell the full story of how strong of a step Sam Pittman got them going in the right direction in his first season as head coach.
An impressive feat of having the exact same number of completions and attempts as the year before (155/247 in both 2019 and 2020). Sanders looks to take the necessary strides to cement a legacy for himself in Stillwater, and establish himself as one of the top names in college football.
Analysis: Sanders is a streaky QB, but when he gets going there aren’t many who can match his talent level. Great mobility and downfield strength open up the Cowboys offense and make Sanders hard to gameplan for. While he needs to cut down on his turnovers, Sanders also shows an impressive amount of confidence and aggression on the field that make him hard to stop on any play.
The head scratching inconsistencies of Sanders’ game is what could hold him and the Cowboys back this season. While Sanders has some of the best natural talent in college football, far too often he makes throws that you would hate to see from your backyard football quarterback. The fact he has to take these steps without having reliable weapons such as Tylan Wallace, Dillon Stoner, and RB Chubba Hubbard there this season will make the task that much more daunting.
How to Beat Him: Sanders came into the Texas game last season and put up a tremendous 4 touchdown performance that still resulted in the loss. Not saying that Texas can just allow Sanders 4 TDs again, but with the lost talent all over the roster for the Cowboys, shutting down Sanders may not be a necessity. Still, the best chance to slow him down is to get pressure on him, force him to make decisions quickly, and never get too comfortable in the backfield. The turnovers should follow after. Another great way is one that will become easier to plan for as the season goes on, finding his main targets and focusing on taking them out of the picture.
3. Brock Purdy (Iowa State)Background: Brock Purdy will likely go down as one of, if not the most decorated passer in Cyclone history. Purdy is just about everything you could ask for out of a college quarterback. With 33 starts under his belt and owning or sharing 25 school records for Iowa State, it’s safe to say that as long as he’s healthy Purdy will be the QB come November 6.
Purdy isn’t the only returning talent, as Iowa State comes into the season with high expectations due to a whopping 19 returning projected started from 2020. The Cyclones have their eyes on winning the Big 12, and could be one of Texas’ biggest games this season. Slowing Brock Purdy will be a huge way to pull out the victory.
Analysis: Brock Purdy is to Iowa State as Jake Fromm was to Georgia. Both are well-respected quarterbacks at the college level, surrounded by very strong teams with talent to garner a lot of success which generally gets attributed to the quarterback's legacy. I’m not here to rip apart Purdy, but as far as college quarterbacks go he could be in the argument for one of the more overrated options.
Purdy is a nimble mover, capable of successfully rolling out and finding targets quickly. He does a nice job effectively progressing through his reads, and shows a great understanding of the offense. Comfort is huge for a quarterback, and Purdy seems very confident as a passer to help move his offense when relied on. He also has nice precision passing that works well all over the field.
However, accuracy and touch needs arm strength in order to make tight window throws and that’s where the issues pop up for Purdy’s game. Despite his experience, and capabilities to extend plays, he doesn’t have the overall ability to fully carry his offense and can in turn hold his offense back in terms of potential.
How to Beat Him: I mean no offense when I say this, but the best process of beating the Cyclones is to keep the ball in Purdy’s hands. Stacking the box to take away the short game and limiting the run will force the game to be won by Purdy, and won in a way that requires him to push the ball downfield which is something he’s struggled to do during his time in Ames. If the dominos fall correctly, Texas vs Iowa State could be an extremely decisive game for the Big 12. Iowa State is a team that returns plenty of talent so weaknesses are hard to come by, so the Longhorns have to make Purdy be the one who beats them.
Kansas State went 2-5 without Thompson, leaving plenty of hope for his return. Thanks to a rewarded extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic, Thompson gets a chance to go out in style for his final year with the Wildcats.
Analysis: Turning on Skylar Thompson tape, one of the first things you’ll be able to notice is his mobility. Thompson is an impressive runner that can pick up yardage fairly well and with Deuce Vaughn with him in the backfield, the run containment will be difficult. Another trait that Thompson possesses is his excellent pocket poise. A calm QB gets a tremendous advantage as a passer, and Thompson handles pressure like a pro.
If Thompson has a better arm, I would be talking about him all the time as a pro prospect. He has that much going for him as a player, at the college level though, you don’t need to be a world beater as a passer to be a great college QB. If you’re looking for a potential dark horse Big 12 team, the Skylar Howard lead Kansas State Wildcats are a great option to fit that bill.
How to Beat Him: Really just forcing Thompson to throw downfield is how you’ll get your best chance at beating him. He isn’t a terrible downfield passer, but he is certainly less efficient when trying to make big air plays compared to the short game. Another big part of stopping Thompson is just trying to limit his chance to extend plays, while he keeps his composure, there can still be added pressure if you don’t allow him to create extra time for himself in the backfield. The Wildcats and Longhorns face off in the final week of regular season play, don’t be surprised if this game means a lot more than we’re thinking it will right now.
In his 2020 matchup against the Longhorns, Rattler gave the ball away on two different occasions leading to him being benched for three possessions in favor of now SMU QB Tanner Mordecai. Rattler was given the QB spot back to start the second half where it seemed like everything started to finally click for the young quarterback.
The Sooners never looked back, hanging on in the Red River Rivalry for a 53-45 4OT victory, then went on to be one of the hottest teams in college football led by arguably one of the hottest players in the nation in Rattler. For Texas, the hope is for a bit of regression from the star Sooner. The two squads face off in what could very easily be the biggest regular-season matchup for both teams on October 9 at the Cotton Bowl.
Analysis: Due to his early struggles, I think there’s an argument that could be made to say Rattler is still underrated despite being viewed by many as the top quarterback in college football. Turning his play up to another level from the second half of the Texas game to the end of the season, the Sooners have all the momentum coming into the 2021/22 season.
The best part of Rattler’s game is no doubt his natural arm talent. While there are plenty of QBs who can make throws all over the field, there aren’t many who can do it with the touch and velocity that Rattler offers from play to play. Not to mention that Rattler can make these plays even when off-platform. The positives for Rattler don’t stop there though, with all his mobility and arm talent, he ties it all together with incredible awareness. He operates in space extremely well and is willing to take hits in order to give his receivers that much more time to create separation. He also demonstrates this with his timing on extending plays, drawing defenders in and opening up space for check down options to pick up huge yards on any given down.
As far as weaknesses to Rattler’s game, you’re forced to dig deep, but they’re there. Rattler believes in his arm, but with that can come some risky throws that strong defensive backs could make plays on. That puts the pressure on B.J. Foster and Brenden Schooler to handle their assignments deep in order to capitalize on any risky throws Rattler takes that don’t work out.
How to Beat Him: If I had a direct plan to beat Spencer Rattler, I think I would be on a coaching payroll somewhere. Truthfully you can never “stop” Rattler. His natural talent and growth show he will likely put forward a tremendous season. Still, there are points in his film that indicate the best way of slowing him down is keeping him in a shallow pocket. Rattler’s best play comes when he has space to operate, whether it’s with deep drops or roll out passes, he has the arm talent to make up for the extra yards he takes to get free. If the Longhorns can keep him in the pocket, close to the line, then there’s a chance you can keep his stat-line down and potentially pull off a massive early October upset.
Texas will play 12 starting QBs over the course of the season, and while things can change on a whim in college football leading to someone new starting when it comes time to face Texas, it’s still worth diving in and looking ahead at a ranking of the 12 projected QBs that Texas will face this year.
12. Jason Bean (Kansas)
Background: In reality, the Kansas QB position is entirely up in the air for who comes away with the starting job. Jason Bean, Miles Kendrick, and Jalon Daniels are all battling it out as the season nears to claim the position. Whoever wins the battle could be entirely different than who starts against Texas on November 13.Regardless of who lines up at QB, Kansas has a lot of work to do at numerous positions before it can get into the realm of consistent competition compared to the rest of the Big 12. However, for the sake of this article, I will assume Bean is the QB who ends up getting the starting nod.
Analysis: If I played you some Jason Bean highlights, you might be impressed and even get a little worried about what he’s capable of. Bean flashes some impressive traits whether it be his long frame, his solid velocity, or his ability to create plays with his legs, there is true potential there.
Highlights and potential are great, but a snap to snap basis is the only way to judge someone and that’s where the headaches for Bean’s play come in. He has a slow release, which could play into possible turnovers in the Big 12, and he struggles to make simple reads too often as a passer. Posting a completion percentage under 55% last season, there is a lot to work on for Bean. I’m not confident he takes those necessary steps in a football program like Kansas that desperately needs help all over the field.
How to Beat Him: Forcing Bean to beat you with his brain is probably the easiest way to put it: disguised coverages, sporadic blitzes, pre-snap shifts to throw off his initial plans. There is a lot that can be done to get in the head of a QB that still has a lot of work to do. With the hype the defensive line has gotten in camp so far, Bean could be in for a long day.
11. Luke McCaffrey (Rice)
Seeking a fresh start, McCaffrey entered the transfer portal and drew headlines this summer following a short stint at Louisville where he transferred just a week later for the opportunity to be an immediate starter. That opportunity came at Rice University, where the Owls are coming off of a 2-3 season and are looking to replace Mike Collins at QB.
The Rice Owls roll into Austin on September 18 for what will likely be their most difficult game of the season. McCaffrey will no doubt have a bit of a chip on his shoulder to prove he belongs as a QB at the FBS level, and to bounce back from what has been a disappointing first few years of his college experience.
Analysis: The available college tape on McCaffrey is limited, but it doesn’t take much to see that he offers tremendous athleticism for the position. Escapability will be huge for any quarterback going against the Longhorns front seven, and McCaffrey will certainly be able to pick up some yards with his legs.
As far as weaknesses go, McCaffrey still has plenty of work to do as a passer. He can extend plays with his legs, but his natural anticipation and progressions still need plenty of work, and in a new offense those issues could build up over the course of the season. McCaffrey also doesn’t have the greatest arm talent, leaving his downfield passing ability a major question mark heading into the season.
How to Beat Him: The Longhorns enter the season with plenty of attention on the defensive line. However, most of that attention comes on the interior. In order to shut down McCaffrey, interior pressure is great, but containing him on the outside and limiting his chance to extend plays is crucial. Keeping heavy numbers in the box and disguising blitz packages should keep McCaffrey and the Owls’ offense on its toes to where keeping him in check shouldn’t be too daunting of a task for the Longhorns.
10. Gerry Bohanon (Baylor)
Background: When I initially wrote this part of the article, Bohanon was my projected starter, but far from a lock to take the position. During the fall, Coach Aranda spent time trying to figure out who would be the starting QB between the trio of Gerry Bohanon, Jacob Zeno, and Blake Sharpen. The winner was decided and announced Sunday night making Bohanon the official starter.With a 3 game slate of Texas State, Texas Southern, and Kansas to kick off the season, don’t be surprised to see all QBs get some reps. Whether it be due to shakiness in play or dominance that we see the back-ups get additional time. However, the Bears will need to feel 100% comfortable by Week 4 as Iowa State comes to town if they have hopes of competing.
Analysis: Bohanon is an athlete, recruited by schools like Alabama and Georgia to play linebacker, there is plenty of notable natural ability that Bohanon possesses. The mobility of his game is going to be his main selling point if the coaches give him the nod as starter, but Bohanon has shown decent ability with the deep ball as well. At 6’3 and 221 pounds, Bohanon will be hard to bring down.
Inexperience is the overlapping weakness of all the Baylor options at QB this year, not a single QB has a start under their belt. However, inexperience isn’t necessarily a death sentence. For Bohanon, his passing still needs much refinement. Natural talent can only carry you so far, and Bohanon will need work to get better touch and placement as a passer for both him and the Baylor offense to take major strides forward this season.
How to Beat Him: Keeping Bohanon contained as a runner is the best way to slow down this Baylor offense. Keeping many guys aware and ready to crash down when the play breaks is huge. Expect for Texas to throw a lot of spy assignments at Baylor when they face off on October 30.
9. Tyler Shough (Texas Tech)
Background: As a 4 star out of Arizona, Shough (pronounced like the word shuck) started out strong for the Oregon Ducks, leading the team through three early victories to start out his true sophomore season. However, things got rocky for Shough and company leading to a consistent rotation between the sophomore QB and Boston College transfer, Anthony Brown.Shough now heads to Lubbock where he teams up with third-year head coach Matt Wells who has been active in the transfer portal this offseason in hopes of seeing major progress on the field and in the win column.
Analysis: Shough offers some impressive traits that any offensive coach would love to get their hands on, starting with his tremendous frame measuring in at 6’5 and 221 pounds. The arm talent shows glimpses of tremendous upside, that when things get clicking there is a very clear deep ball ability that could work wonderfully for Texas Tech if fully unlocked. Shough can get moving a little bit too, while he is primarily a pocket passer, don’t let him catch you off guard or he will capitalize on the open field for a big gain.
Hinted at in the pro’s section, Shough has a bit of a consistency issue. His overall release and touch as a passer still needs a bit of work as his ball placement can be difficult to handle at times. The biggest question for Shough’s delivery is if he can clean up the ball’s spiral? Too often, Shough throws a ball that wobbles in mid-air killing out his chance to truly get all he can on some of his passes. As a young QB, these are all very fixable things, and hopefully with the new environment and loads of confidence in him, he can get off to a good start for the Red Raiders.
How to Beat Him: Shough is someone that seems to be very confidence driven in terms of performance. While it’s easier said than done, the best way to get him at his lowest is to force mistakes early for the Red Raiders offense and hopefully kill all momentum for the game. In terms of schematics, I believe forcing Shough to make tight window throws is the best plan of action, as he still needs plenty of refinement in that regard as a passer.
8. Jarret Doege (West Virginia)
Background: Not sure if I’m the only one, but it feels like Jarret Doege has been in college football for ages now. Entering his third season at West Virginia, Doege will look to build off of a consistent 14 touchdown, 4 interception 2020 season for the Mountaineers.West Virginia comes off of a 6-4 season, returning a large part of talent back for another season. The reports coming out of camp are that Doege has shown improvement, could the Mountaineers put together a surprise season and make some noise in the Big 12?
Analysis: Doege is a consistent steady passer at the college football level that most programs would love to have. While he maybe doesn’t wow you with his arm strength or turn in highlight runs, he does the little things to help the whole machine operate. Doege also does a nice job reading and processing plays to make quick decisions and limit turnovers.
As far as weaknesses go, Doege doesn’t blow you away in terms of natural talent that many other high end QBs are gifted with. He can float the ball a bit too much when trying to work the ball downfield, he isn’t going to kill you as a runner (though he can pick up yards if you give him open field) Ultimately, Doege is what many would label a “game manager.” While this title is overused and not always a bad thing, I think it is a good representation of his physical limitations.
How to Beat Him: While Doege isn’t a scrub, he is going to be the one to beat you if you’re Texas because you cannot let Leddie Brown get the chance to run all over you. Forcing Doege to beat you consistently down field with the athletes that Texas has outside should result in a favorable finish for the Longhorns when they travel to Morgantown on November 20.
7. Max Duggan (TCU)
Background: Maybe it’s because I watched Trevone Boykin transform from a project who struggled to complete a pass all the way to Heisman contender, but I’m not comfortable dismissing Max Duggan just yet. Duggan took huge strides as a passer last season, improving his completion percentage from 53.4 to 60.8%. He also improved his QB rating from 113.6 in 2019 to 134.1 in 2020.There is still plenty of work for Duggan to do, but the Horned Frogs bring in plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. If Duggan takes a step forward then TCU should be a tough beat come October 2.
Analysis: Duggan’s progression from year one to year two has to be the biggest selling point of his strengths. There is talent in his game, but converting that talent into results is huge and the growth shown in one season is promising for the QB going forward. Duggan is impressively mobile, able to pick up yards consistently with his legs. He also showed an impressive ability to push the ball downfield more consistently. Also, Duggan was able to make nice throws even when getting blown up, a testament to the toughness he possesses.
Duggan still has a long way to go in terms of consistency, he can float passes for his receivers that really give far too much of an opportunity for turnovers. With that inconsistent touch comes misplacement of passes too. With a low 60 completion percentage, Duggan will need to continue improving his precision in order to lead TCU to major accomplishments this year.
How to Beat Him: Until Duggan proves otherwise, he still has a lot of work to do as a passer. Sadly, he seems to have some secret stuff to help him become a stud when going against the Longhorns, but if they can get his completion percentage down in the range of his normal outings, then Texas could pick up a major win against TCU and be on track for a very strong season in Sarkisian’s first year as head coach.
6. Levi Lewis (Louisiana)
Background: The Ragin Cajuns stepped into the 2020 season playing a top 25 Big 12 team on the road and came out victorious. So Levi Lewis and company aren’t going to come into September 4’s season opener feeling overwhelmed.Lewis returns for his fifth season with Louisiana after going 10-1 in 2020. The chip on his shoulder shouldn’t be overlooked, as Lewis looks to bounce back, after having a less efficient season as a passer compared to his prior seasons with the program.
Analysis: Lewis is an exciting college quarterback who is filled with natural talent. He flashes great mobility and even has some impressive zip at times as a passer. While the arm strength goes up and down, Lewis can deliver some impressive deep passes if given the chance to go over the top. Part of the play into success for a QB is experience and a strong supporting cast, Lewis brings both of those to the table.
Short players have been a common trend at the QB position, or at least shorter QBs aren’t being forced out in favor of a 6’3+ option. However, Lewis’ height can be seen as an issue on tape as he struggles with downfield vision as a passer and seems to struggle to make proper reads and instead decides his targets pre-snap. A lot of Lewis’ completions are manufactured, and taking away the short passing game shows off his inaccuracies as a passer when he has to work downfield.
How to Beat Him: Established a bit in the analysis above, beating Lewis is taking away the short work. Keeping dump and sweep passes contained in order to force Lewis to convert longer plays will reward this defense with plenty of favors to themselves. While Louisiana is no easy task for a season opener, Texas can win if it forces Lewis to beat them without the screen and shovel passes picking up yards.
5. KJ Jefferson (Arkansas)
Background: The Feleipe Franks era has come to a close for Arkansas football, and now KJ Jefferson gets the opportunity he’s been waiting two seasons for as the starting quarterback of the Razorbacks. He couldn’t ask to step into a better situation. Arkansas is filled with playmakers, whether it’s the highly-touted Treylon Burks, or it’s some other talented options on the offense such as Mike Woods, Trelon Smith, and many others.Analysis: Jefferson is going to be a tough draw for most teams to match up against. The QB has a natural cannon for an arm with ability to throw downfield with ease. Not to mention getting to work with and develop under an offensive coordinator who is as talented as Kendal Briles (regardless of how you feel about him off-field, he is undeniably impressive as a coach). Jefferson’s most intriguing trait is his pure size/athleticism combo, listed at 6’3 and 245 pounds, Jefferson is hard to bring down with plenty of speed to make plays along with that. If you’re looking for a lottery ticket type QB in college football, Jefferson is a good bet to reap rewards.
While the intrigue is high and the sample size is small, there are still some concerns with Jefferson’s game. His work as a pocket passer could improve, as he has an inconsistent delivery that can result in sporadic accuracy in the short to medium pass game. The inexperience could shine as well, in his match-up against Texas he will be getting just his fifth game of major experience, and fourth overall start, a defensive coordinator like Kwiatkowski could find ways to expose that.
How to Beat Him: Keeping plenty of deep coverage is probably the best play for a defense as strong as Texas. While Jefferson can make plays with his legs, I think the front seven is fast enough to keep him semi-contained as a runner. However, you can’t ever have enough coverage help when working against a receiver duo like Burks and Woods. With Jefferson’s inexperience, I expect a lot of disguised looks and chaos schemes to try to confuse him as well. Don’t sleep on the Razorbacks this season. The 3-7 record from last year doesn’t tell the full story of how strong of a step Sam Pittman got them going in the right direction in his first season as head coach.
4. Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State)
Background: With all the departing star talent for the Cowboys, all eyes now direct to Spencer Sanders who will have to shoulder the load for Oklahoma State to continue its competitiveness over the course of the 2021 season.An impressive feat of having the exact same number of completions and attempts as the year before (155/247 in both 2019 and 2020). Sanders looks to take the necessary strides to cement a legacy for himself in Stillwater, and establish himself as one of the top names in college football.
Analysis: Sanders is a streaky QB, but when he gets going there aren’t many who can match his talent level. Great mobility and downfield strength open up the Cowboys offense and make Sanders hard to gameplan for. While he needs to cut down on his turnovers, Sanders also shows an impressive amount of confidence and aggression on the field that make him hard to stop on any play.
The head scratching inconsistencies of Sanders’ game is what could hold him and the Cowboys back this season. While Sanders has some of the best natural talent in college football, far too often he makes throws that you would hate to see from your backyard football quarterback. The fact he has to take these steps without having reliable weapons such as Tylan Wallace, Dillon Stoner, and RB Chubba Hubbard there this season will make the task that much more daunting.
How to Beat Him: Sanders came into the Texas game last season and put up a tremendous 4 touchdown performance that still resulted in the loss. Not saying that Texas can just allow Sanders 4 TDs again, but with the lost talent all over the roster for the Cowboys, shutting down Sanders may not be a necessity. Still, the best chance to slow him down is to get pressure on him, force him to make decisions quickly, and never get too comfortable in the backfield. The turnovers should follow after. Another great way is one that will become easier to plan for as the season goes on, finding his main targets and focusing on taking them out of the picture.
3. Brock Purdy (Iowa State)
Purdy isn’t the only returning talent, as Iowa State comes into the season with high expectations due to a whopping 19 returning projected started from 2020. The Cyclones have their eyes on winning the Big 12, and could be one of Texas’ biggest games this season. Slowing Brock Purdy will be a huge way to pull out the victory.
Analysis: Brock Purdy is to Iowa State as Jake Fromm was to Georgia. Both are well-respected quarterbacks at the college level, surrounded by very strong teams with talent to garner a lot of success which generally gets attributed to the quarterback's legacy. I’m not here to rip apart Purdy, but as far as college quarterbacks go he could be in the argument for one of the more overrated options.
Purdy is a nimble mover, capable of successfully rolling out and finding targets quickly. He does a nice job effectively progressing through his reads, and shows a great understanding of the offense. Comfort is huge for a quarterback, and Purdy seems very confident as a passer to help move his offense when relied on. He also has nice precision passing that works well all over the field.
However, accuracy and touch needs arm strength in order to make tight window throws and that’s where the issues pop up for Purdy’s game. Despite his experience, and capabilities to extend plays, he doesn’t have the overall ability to fully carry his offense and can in turn hold his offense back in terms of potential.
How to Beat Him: I mean no offense when I say this, but the best process of beating the Cyclones is to keep the ball in Purdy’s hands. Stacking the box to take away the short game and limiting the run will force the game to be won by Purdy, and won in a way that requires him to push the ball downfield which is something he’s struggled to do during his time in Ames. If the dominos fall correctly, Texas vs Iowa State could be an extremely decisive game for the Big 12. Iowa State is a team that returns plenty of talent so weaknesses are hard to come by, so the Longhorns have to make Purdy be the one who beats them.
2. Skylar Thompson (Kansas State)
Background: Perhaps a bit of a surprise pick here as my number 2, but Thompson does a lot of things well at the quarterback position. The notable 4 touchdown performance in the upset win over Oklahoma, was a huge sign of momentum for the Wildcats to move forward with, but Thompson’s season was cut short due to needing shoulder surgery. He returns with what should hopefully be the full-time QB job, and full reigns of the offense.Kansas State went 2-5 without Thompson, leaving plenty of hope for his return. Thanks to a rewarded extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic, Thompson gets a chance to go out in style for his final year with the Wildcats.
Analysis: Turning on Skylar Thompson tape, one of the first things you’ll be able to notice is his mobility. Thompson is an impressive runner that can pick up yardage fairly well and with Deuce Vaughn with him in the backfield, the run containment will be difficult. Another trait that Thompson possesses is his excellent pocket poise. A calm QB gets a tremendous advantage as a passer, and Thompson handles pressure like a pro.
If Thompson has a better arm, I would be talking about him all the time as a pro prospect. He has that much going for him as a player, at the college level though, you don’t need to be a world beater as a passer to be a great college QB. If you’re looking for a potential dark horse Big 12 team, the Skylar Howard lead Kansas State Wildcats are a great option to fit that bill.
How to Beat Him: Really just forcing Thompson to throw downfield is how you’ll get your best chance at beating him. He isn’t a terrible downfield passer, but he is certainly less efficient when trying to make big air plays compared to the short game. Another big part of stopping Thompson is just trying to limit his chance to extend plays, while he keeps his composure, there can still be added pressure if you don’t allow him to create extra time for himself in the backfield. The Wildcats and Longhorns face off in the final week of regular season play, don’t be surprised if this game means a lot more than we’re thinking it will right now.
1. Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma)
Background: As a 5 star recruit, and the first starting QB that didn’t come through the transfer portal for the Lincoln Riley era; the expectations surrounding Spencer Rattler heading into last season were huge. Things got off to a rocky start though, with a three-interception game in the upset loss against Kansas State, and they followed it up with another loss to Iowa State the next week.In his 2020 matchup against the Longhorns, Rattler gave the ball away on two different occasions leading to him being benched for three possessions in favor of now SMU QB Tanner Mordecai. Rattler was given the QB spot back to start the second half where it seemed like everything started to finally click for the young quarterback.
The Sooners never looked back, hanging on in the Red River Rivalry for a 53-45 4OT victory, then went on to be one of the hottest teams in college football led by arguably one of the hottest players in the nation in Rattler. For Texas, the hope is for a bit of regression from the star Sooner. The two squads face off in what could very easily be the biggest regular-season matchup for both teams on October 9 at the Cotton Bowl.
Analysis: Due to his early struggles, I think there’s an argument that could be made to say Rattler is still underrated despite being viewed by many as the top quarterback in college football. Turning his play up to another level from the second half of the Texas game to the end of the season, the Sooners have all the momentum coming into the 2021/22 season.
The best part of Rattler’s game is no doubt his natural arm talent. While there are plenty of QBs who can make throws all over the field, there aren’t many who can do it with the touch and velocity that Rattler offers from play to play. Not to mention that Rattler can make these plays even when off-platform. The positives for Rattler don’t stop there though, with all his mobility and arm talent, he ties it all together with incredible awareness. He operates in space extremely well and is willing to take hits in order to give his receivers that much more time to create separation. He also demonstrates this with his timing on extending plays, drawing defenders in and opening up space for check down options to pick up huge yards on any given down.
As far as weaknesses to Rattler’s game, you’re forced to dig deep, but they’re there. Rattler believes in his arm, but with that can come some risky throws that strong defensive backs could make plays on. That puts the pressure on B.J. Foster and Brenden Schooler to handle their assignments deep in order to capitalize on any risky throws Rattler takes that don’t work out.
How to Beat Him: If I had a direct plan to beat Spencer Rattler, I think I would be on a coaching payroll somewhere. Truthfully you can never “stop” Rattler. His natural talent and growth show he will likely put forward a tremendous season. Still, there are points in his film that indicate the best way of slowing him down is keeping him in a shallow pocket. Rattler’s best play comes when he has space to operate, whether it’s with deep drops or roll out passes, he has the arm talent to make up for the extra yards he takes to get free. If the Longhorns can keep him in the pocket, close to the line, then there’s a chance you can keep his stat-line down and potentially pull off a massive early October upset.
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