Questions for the Texas offense as spring camp begins

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With spring camp beginning this week, the eyes of Texas turn their attention to their first glimpse of actual football under head coach Charlie Strong. This is a time of excitement and uncertainty for Longhorn players, coaches and fans.  Because everyone and everything is new, spring practice will be about making positive first impressions. Whether it’s players to coaches; coaches to players; or coaches to the fan base, everyone has someone to impress this spring. In our first installment of a two part series, Horn Sports answers some of the spring’s most pressing questions about the Texas offense…

Who will play quarterback in 2014?

Texas fans can’t discuss this Longhorn team without addressing the quarterback conundrums: Can David Ash stay healthy? Will Tyrone Swoopes take the next step in his development? Will those two leave a window open for Jerrod Heard to jump through? Will Max Wittek add depth to the position? All are important questions with unclear answers at this point.

There are few certainties surrounding the position, but there is at least one – David Ash has the inside track to be first string quarterback. However, the questions surrounding Ash’s history of head injuries adds complexity to the entire outlook for the Horns’ 2014 season. Ash is the most complete quarterback on campus and will use spring practices to learn the new system and find his rhythm.

Most fans agree that Tyrone Swoopes’ first season was incredibly frustrating (and possibly a wasted opportunity for a redshirt year). For Swoopes, spring practice, a new coaching staff, and a different offense combine to represent a prime opportunity for him to take the next step in his development. The second year signal caller needs to soak up every piece of film available and make the most of every rep he gets. “2nd string is only one play away from being a starter” sounds like a coaching cliche, but it rings ominously true in this case.

Any discussion of Wittek or Heard before they reach campus is pure conjecture. Now is the time for Ash and Swoopes to cement the top of the depth chart and make the additions of Wittek and Heard a luxury.

What’s going on with the offensive line?

There’s no question that second to hiring Charlie Strong, the biggest off-season acquisition was offensive line coach Joe Wickline. Wickline was brought in to fix a unit that hasn’t been consistently competitive for several years, and hasn’t been a true strength for even longer than that. With an incredibly thin and inexperienced unit, the Horns’ new OL Coach is is tasked with a significant rebuilding job in his first year..

In his second year after transferring from Contra Costa C.C. (CA), Desmond Harrison figures to be one of the most critical pieces in Wickline’s puzzle. If Harrison can replace Donald Hawkins, who was one of the more steady performers on last year’s line, then other players along the line will be able to play positions more suited to their strengths.

Beyond Harrison, Dominic Espinosa and Kennedy Estelle return as the only players who logged significant time last year. On the bright side, Kent Perkins played in the rotation and has the talent to play either guard or tackle at a high level. Joining Perkins in the “potential” department, Sedrick Flowers has an opportunity to take hold of a starting job.

Spring practice represents a chance for the coaches to see which players on the OL are taking this new era seriously and which ones aren’t ready for the transformation. Charlie Strong talks about a game plan that starts with dominance along both lines, but that plan might have trouble getting off the ground without some of these players stepping up.

Who replaces Mike Davis as the deep threat at receiver?

Say what you will about Mike Davis and the inconsistency he exhibited at times, but the fact is he was the team’s best opportunity for quick strike scores. It’s unclear how the new offense will look at this point, but the need for a deep threat that can stretch the secondary is always important.

While Jaxon Shipley is a very capable receiver, his forte is working underneath routes and moving the chains. With Shipley’s role being relatively known, the likely candidates to replace Davis are Kendall Sanders and Marcus Johnson. Early in his career Sanders was utilized in the short passing game in an attempt to get him into space. With a player of his speed and explosiveness, the junior from Athens could be used more as a deep threat and will get chances to emerge from a crowded position group. Marcus Johnson showcased his talents on wheel routes last year, but was also inconsistent at times.

What will the new offense look like?

The Longhorn offense hasn’t had much consistency since Colt McCoy was on campus.  The unit desperately needs some stability. Whether the offensive coaching staff chooses to run an up-tempo style similar to the one Oklahoma State runs or Shawn Watson’s pro-style offense, the offensive coaches are faced with finding schemes that utilize the strengths of the players on campus. Based on interviews with Wickline and Watson, indications are that Texas will implement a pro-style offense utilizing a mix of concepts from the entire offensive staff. Regardless of style, there are two coaching adages that will ring particularly true this Fall: “Execution is paramount,” and “The game is won or lost in the trenches.”

Is Daje Johnson ready to get serious?

For all the explosiveness that Johnson provides, the third year player from Pflugerville Hendrickson has been one of the more frustrating talents during his first two years on the 40 Acres. Last Fall, Johnson appeared poised to breakout and be a game changer for the Longhorns, but became a non-factor after the OU game and had challenges with academics. New coaches, a new offense and a clean slate represent a significant opportunity for Johnson to embrace a leadership role on this offense. If the playmaker is willing to accept that responsibility, his first challenge will be to prove to coaches that he is willing to be serious in the classroom. If Johnson is ready to get serious about his career as a student and player, he can add tremendous value to this team.