Texas Longhorns: Five Questions for Spring Football (Offense)

Dec 29, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Tyrone Swoopes (18) during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the 2014 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

1. Who will emerge from the spring as the Longhorns’ No. 1 quarterback?

Tyrone Swoopes was thrown into the fire when another injury forced David Ash to end his playing career. He showed early indications that he could lead this team, such as the Oklahoma and UCLA games; however, as the season wore on, doubts began to settle in about his ability to be the guy.

Despite moments of promise, there were many more moments of frustration, especially when Swoopes was forced to face some stout defenses.

The biggest question facing the quarterback this spring is whether or not he can put the failures season’s end behind him, and mentally move on.

The mental aspect of the game will be huge for Swoopes going forward.

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Simply put, he needs to learn to think faster and make better decisions with the ball.

If he can do that, there are still some questions about his physical ability. Reports from the off-season state that Swoopes is working hard and isn’t quite ready to give up his position.

For Swoopes to succeed, he needs to be able to make plays with his feet, which is something he struggled with last season.

The Longhorns’ only other option this spring is Jerrod Heard, who benefitted from a red-shirt last season.

While Heard was a nationally ranked, 5-star and title-winning QB coming out of high school, some have worried that he doesn’t seem to be adjusting to the college game as well and as quickly as many had hoped.

That said, he knows what it takes to win, and he has proven that he is a true dual-threat, which many would argue is imperative in today’s game.

The Longhorns did reel in another highly rated QB in incoming freshman Kai Locksley, but he won’t be on campus until the summer, and one would expect that he needs a redshirt season as well.

This spring will tell the coaches a lot about the future of the position. Will Swoopes or Heard emerge and grab the reigns or will the staff need to scour the country to find a transfer quarterback who will be eligible to play immediately?

Next: Will Johnathan Gray return to form?