QB's will compete for starting job vs. Rice

[Aaron Carrara]

"We're going to make that decision at the end of the week."

The first question University of Texas head coach Charlie Strong was asked today at his regular Monday availability had to do with which quarterback he would start against the Rice Owls on Saturday. After a dismal performance from starter Tyrone Swoopes against Notre Dame in the team's 38-3 loss, the speculation as to whether or not Strong will make a change in week 2 runs rampant.

"We're going to go through this week and then we're going to make that decision later on at the end of the week" Strong said in response to the question.

Swoopes has held on to the starting job since the BYU game last season, when he took the reins from David Ash after Ash was concussed in the season opener against North Texas. Swoopes threw for 93 yards against the Fighting Irish and a mere 57 yards against Arkansas in the Texas Bowl to end the 2014 season. That's just 150 yards through the air in the last two games.

Jerrod Heard took a handful of snaps against Notre Dame throwing for 10 yards and rushing twice for -12 yards. Heard's performance wasn't enough to show the staff they needed to replace Swoopes in the second half.

The offense managed only 8 first downs compared to 30 by Notre Dame. The inability to move the football is problematic for the Longhorns, who have scored just 20 points in their last three games.

"We can't go through another season with a bad offense. No, that cannot happen," Strong continued.

"It's all about just moving the football. It's about getting 1st downs and 1st downs will lead to scores."

While much of the focus on the offensive challenges lies within quarterback play, Charlie Strong reiterated the importance of his tailback unit and the abundance of talent the Longhorns possess at the position.

"Our offense has to run through our running backs and we have to run the football. You look at us outside on the perimeter, you have Warren; Burt is a guy who can stretch the field; you have Armanti who can stretch the field; and then you have Daje when you want to run."

Swoopes and Heard will battle it out this week again for the starting job.

The staff will start the player they feel gives the team the best chance to be successful against Rice. 

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

Completely ridiculous that this is even discussed as a competition... I would take Trey Holtz over Swoopes at this point.

 

[tejasrulz]

The staff will start the player they feel gives the team the best chance to be successful against Rice.

 

[dillohorn]

B S

 

[CharcoalPuppy]

Shouldn't be a competition. We all know what Swoopes is. He has tape. 13 games of tape. 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

This thread brought to you today by:

 

[TeamMayhall]

😫🔫

 

[GBT]

I thought there was a competition since Spring ball....???? Swoopes won it per the coaches. 7 months and Heard couldn't win the competition; and he is supposed to win it in 5 days now ????  Lets bring in Curly, Moe, and the other guy to coach this team...SMH.....

 

[primal defense]

I don't think it matters who is the QB is for the  Rice game. The Shawn Watson sped up west coast offense is not going to work for Heard. The best chance for UT to have a decent offense this season is to put Traylor in charge of the offense, so we can have a real spread offense which Heard has a chance to succeed in.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

I don't think it matters who is the QB is for the  Rice game. The Shawn Watson sped up west coast offense is not going to work for Heard. The best chance for UT to have a decent offense this season is to put Traylor in charge of the offense, so we can have a real spread offense which Heard has a chance to succeed in.

Well, I did see a couple of zone read option plays that Swoopes botched again.

DE crashing down the line to tackle the lead RB, outside sweep wide open for the QB. Same old story. No vision or instincts for that play from Ty.

 

[CharcoalPuppy]

Run the offense out of the Pistol with Heard. That's my advice to Strong and Watson. 

 

[DMAC]

Did anyone see Swoopes try to juke ND's best LB in mid field on Saturday.  That was bad.  

 

[java]

Ty is a 'keeper'.

 

[BevoBlake]

Run the offense out of the Pistol with Heard. That's my advice to Strong and Watson. 

The Pistol Offense is my favorite offense. With that said, it's a whole lot harder than just running it. We'd have to start work on it now simply for it to be successful in 2016. That's a complete playbook change.

 

[CharcoalPuppy]

The Pistol Offense is my favorite offense. With that said, it's a whole lot harder than just running it. We'd have to start work on it now simply for it to be successful in 2016. That's a complete playbook change.

 They were running plays out of the pistol in the spring game , were they not ? 

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[CharcoalPuppy]

The Longhorns have three straight home games coming up and don't leave the state of Texas for four weeks after that.  Now is as good of a time as any to start Jerrod Heard. 

 

[HornEsch]

Be prepared, just saying...