Think of the quarterbacks at Texas. Each one of them, including the incoming freshman. Now ask yourself which one enters the offseason with the fewest amount of questions.
There is not an easy answer.
Texas offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sterlin Gilbert’s biggest challenge this offseason will be assessing which quarterback should guide his offense this season. Jerrod Heard, Tyrone Swoopes, Kai Locksley, Shane Buechele and Matthew Merrick are the unproven quarterbacks who will compete against each other when the Longhorns begin offseason workouts later this month. An argument can be made for nearly every player right now, which makes the upcoming quarterback battle intriguing. The battle is also frustrating because Longhorn fans were optimistic Heard or Swoopes would have solidified that position by now.
Yes, we are a few months away from the spring game in April, and far away from the season opener against Notre Dame in September. However, no matter what coaches say about every player getting a look when practice begins, it is nearly impossible for five quarterbacks to receive equal reps, which makes the discussion a relevant topic right now.
For instance, if there are 20 reps each in 7-on-7 and team drills, the starter will receive at least 11 of those reps. The backup typically receives between five to six of those reps. The third-string guy gets the leftovers. As a reminder, former play-caller Shawn Watson told us Swoopes and Heard were going to split reps prior to last season. We eventually discovered that was not the case and Swoopes received most of the reps. Gilbert can alternate reps on different days for each quarterback, but he will likely have a good idea who will compete for the job before practice begins.
When Pat Moorer’s offseason workouts start, one of these quarterbacks has to emerge as a leader. He has to be one of those “front of the line” guys and not take a passenger seat role. Gilbert’s quarterback must be a person who earns the trust of his teammates during the offseason.
In addition, the quarterback who picks up Gilbert’s playbook quickly will have an advantage over his competitors. That means extra time in the film room, a lot of studying, and the willingness to ask questions.
Here is a look at each quarterback Gilbert will work with:
Tyrone Swoopes
Photo via HookEm.com
Basics: We have gone from “Swoopes There It Is” to the “18-Wheeler," but there have been a lot of struggles mixed in with those highlights. Swoopes had a memorable performance during a win against Iowa State in 2014 (321 passing yards and one touchdown; 95 rushing yards and one touchdown). He also had forgettable performances against TCU in 2014 (four interceptions and one fumble), Arkansas (57 passing yards) and Notre Dame in the 2015 season opener (93 passing yards). Many Longhorn fans believe Swoopes is an adequate backup, but nothing more.
Why he should start: Swoopes was not a standout in the season finale against Baylor, but completed 12-of-19 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown, plus rushed 10 times for 53 yards and a touchdown during the win. The 18-Wheeler package - designed by former play-caller Jay Norvell - actually helped Swoopes develop confidence, an attribute he has lacked since stepping on campus. We know Swoopes will not have any issues understanding Gilbert’s playbook. In addition, we also know Swoopes will look good during practice. Considering the staff is facing a must-win year, Swoopes could be adequate if Gilbert can raise the floor of this quarterback.
Why he should sit: Watson cried during a press conference because he wanted Swoopes to succeed. Ultimately, Watson’s emotional investment into a quarterback who could not get the job done resulted in him losing his position at Texas. Swoopes has been given every opportunity to become the “franchise quarterback," but is too inconsistent. The other frustrating aspect about Swoopes is his inability to connect with open receivers. Over the past two years, when Longhorn receivers have been open, Swoopes routinely overthrows them. Watson lost his job because Swoopes looked good in practice, but struggled during games. Gilbert may not want to take the same risk.
Jerrod Heard
Photo via HookEm.com
Basics: Heard put up record setting numbers against Cal during his second career start. He set a Texas single-game total offense mark with 527 yards (364 passing/163 rushing), topping the previous total of 506 (239 pass/267 rush) by Vince Young at Oklahoma State in 2005. Longhorn fans believed they finally had a quarterback. Reporters who cover this team were heavily criticized by fans for not recognizing Heard’s greatness. However, Heard fizzled and had a four-game stretch without more than 100-passing yards. He was benched twice last season. He struggled to avoid sacks, was not always aware of down-and-distance, and could not make plays in the pocket. Like Swoopes, Heard flashed potential, but was never consistent.
Why he should start: It is fair to say Heard never received a fair shot with Watson. The previous coach did not embrace Heard’s mobility, and every mistake the quarterback made justified Watson’s preconceived opinion. Heard could excel with a fresh start and new offensive system. He was forced to start without much preparation in the offseason, and it is fair to question how much coaching Heard really received from Watson. We know Heard has a lot of talent, potential, wants to be a leader, and was a winner in high school. He could shine with a quarterback coach who understands how to get the most out of him.
Why he should sit: There were times when Heard just looked lost last year. He tried to make plays with his feet instead of staying in the pocket. Heard had the tendency to wait for receivers to get open before throwing the ball, which is obviously too late. In addition, Heard struggled to grasp the playbook as a freshman, which means this could be another learning year for him. Those flaws are enough to make Gilbert look elsewhere.
Shane Buechele
Basics: No matter what you say about Strong as a recruiter, it worth noting that Buechele is the top rated high school quarterback in Texas. He is not the typical three-star guy who needs to be developed. Buechele is extremely talented and viewed as a “baller” by everyone within the program. He is expected to hit campus this week and compete for a starting job right away.
Why he should start: The mystery of the unknown, of course. Swoopes and Heard had their chances. Buechele could be great – mainly because every freshman is supposed to be great, right? Regardless, if Buechele can learn the playbook and push Swoopes and Heard, then Strong should consider taking a risk and starting the freshman. His philosophy has been if an upperclassman is equal with a freshman, the younger guy should play. Sure, it probably makes sense to start a veteran player in the season opener against Notre Dame. Of course, Texas did that last year, and the result was a 38-3 loss and Watson’s demotion.
Why he should sit: There really is no margin for error this season. Strong and his staff cannot afford a slow start. Buechele could look great in practice, but nobody knows how he will react when the bullets really start flying. Strong prefers to redshirt his quarterbacks. If Strong allows Buechele to play, and he fails, the staff may be at a point of no return.
Kai Locksley
Photo via Statesman.com
Basics: Locksley flipped his commitment from FSU to Texas last year. He was one of two quarterbacks Texas signed in 2015. Locksley is an athletic redshirt freshman who spent last season on the sidelines (when he was allowed to travel). His high school statistics do not accurately reflect his athleticism, mostly due to the system he played in.
Why he should start: Like Heard, Locksley is an athletic quarterback who could shine with a new position coach and system. The one thing I consistently hear about Locksley is he has an intense desire to compete. Locksley was frustrated with his lack of playing time last season, and the staff had to speak with him. If given the opportunity to play, Locksley could take off.
Why he should sit: Locksley wants to play quarterback, but if Swoopes, Buechele and Heard are the top guys after the spring game, his best chance to see the field this year might be as a receiver. Locksley can always be the emergency quarterback (we saw what Baylor did without a quarterback in 2015). John Burt, Armanti Foreman, Lorenzo Joe, Ryan Newsome, DeAndre McNeal and Locksley could give Gilbert plenty of potential playmakers this year.
Matthew Merrick
Photo via ParkCitiesPeople.com
Basics: Merrick was expected to grayshirt, but received a scholarship before training camp began last year. He redshirted last season and was given the opportunity to learn, like Locksley.
Why he should start: If this is truly an open competition, Merrick has a chance to impress Gilbert in the offseason and climb the depth chart. He has a fresh start with a position coach who does not know much about him. Merrick deserves to start if he is the best quarterback on Texas’ roster.
Why he should sit: Merrick did not play against elite competition in high school and could benefit from another year of development. Gilbert may want to work on Merrick’s sidearm throwing motion, too.
Funniest Thing You Will See This Week
This is a must-see for every parent:
Sports On A Dime
1. Once again, the question has to be asked. Why was Joey Porter not flagged for being on the field during Pittsburgh’s wild-card victory against Cincinnati? That should have been an automatic penalty. I cannot blame Pacman Jones for his rant after the game. I do blame Vontaze Burfict for that horrific hit against Antonio Brown.
2. The Bengals were out of control, and Marvin Lewis is to blame for that. Two personal fouls on the same play? He is 0-7 in the postseason? What does a guy have to do to lose his job in Cincinnati?
3. Catch of the year:
4. It is very rare for a team to win in the playoffs without a franchise quarterback. Brian Hoyer’s abysmal playoff performance should force Houston to leave no stone unturned in its quest to find a franchise quarterback in the offseason. The Texans need to make this a priority or risk wasting J.J. Watt’s good years.
5. Give me Seattle and Green Bay in the NFC wild card games on Sunday. Call me foolish (I have been called worse), but I am not going to bet against Aaron Rodgers when it counts.
6. It may sound like a broken record (nobody under 25-years-old understands that reference), but give me Alabama and Nick Saban in a big game every day of the week. I will always win more times than I lose. Alabama has struggled against mobile quarterbacks in the past, which means Clemson’s Deshaun Watson will challenge the Crimson Tide’s front seven. However, I think Alabama running backs Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake will be too much for Clemson.
7. If Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson still wants to play football, he should not walk away from the $16 million he is slated to receive this season. Considering his salary cap hit is $24 million, Detroit will probably release him in a few months. Once that occurs, Johnson can sign with the team of his choice. It is just crazy to think Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson are probably Hall of Fame receivers who were too loyal to their respective organizations.
8. Dexter Manley should have been fired for this ignorant comment about Robert Griffin III. If we are going to fire people for racist comments, let's not have a double-standard:
9. Does anybody remember the time when LeBron James and Johnny Manizel were boys? Well, this video shows why James is a man and Manziel is still a boy:
10. I am a huge believer in LSU Ben Simmons, but how can I get on the bandwagon of Oklahoma Buddy Hield? His 46 points during a double-overtime loss against Kansas this past week was one of the best individual performances this season, plus had 31 in a win against Kansas State on Saturday. It appears to be a three-man race between Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine, Hield and Simmons for player of the year.
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