Spring Casualty

On Friday, Texas Athletics released a statement that starting quarterback David Ash broke his left foot and will miss the remainder of spring practices.

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

The news impacts the rest of spring football and also changes the recruiting landscape for Head Coach Charlie Strong. There are three priorities as a result of the news on Ash:

1. Securing the transfer of Max Wittek is even more critical

Injuries are a part of football. One of the sliver linings to the news about Ash is that Max Wittek should now know he is an absolute priority for the Horns. The USC transfer still hasn’t made his decision on where he will play but it looks like Texas is the front runner for his services. With Ash’s injury, it becomes paramount that Texas gets Wittek signed and on campus.

The news could also help Wittek pull the trigger on Texas. The former Trojan quarterback is clearly interested in UT and this news might be the boost that helps him make a decision.

2. Tyrone Swoopes must progress

The consensus from practice reports is that Tyrone Swoopes is not yet where coaches want him to be in terms of development. Given that Swoopes and Quarterbacks Coach Shawn Watson have only had a few months to work together, that’s hardly an indictment that former Whitewright HS star won’t be ready in the fall. However, if the Longhorns do not get Wittek, Swoopes must accelerate his development and make big improvements before fall camp.

3. Preseason expectations take a hit

College football is all about perception. Where a team is ranked in the preseason poll can have a significant impact on what they are able to accomplish during the season. Preseason rankings and perception are also a big factor in how conferences are judged throughout the season. For example, the SEC consistently is perceived as the toughest league. With as many as a half dozen teams ranked in the preseason poll, there is no denying that these expectations help shape everyone’s opinion. This is all relevant to Texas now because if national media doesn’t believe the Longhorns can’t be a good team in 2014 without David Ash at quarterback, preseason perceptions will take a dive. Ultimately that hurts both Texas and the Big 12.