Texas Football: Can Sam Ehlinger be the next Joe Burrow?

A big outing in the National Championship Game last night for LSU quarterback Joe Burrow brought Texas football fan memories of what he did to them.

The question is going to be asked all offseason long heading into the summer of 2020. Is there going to be another breakout star that can contend for the Heisman Trophy in college football next season like LSU Tigers senior quarterback Joe Burrow did last year? Maybe the Texas football program could have that answer served up in the form of to-be senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

Comparing any quarterback that would come out of nowhere next season to what Burrow did in his record-breaking senior campaign with LSU is difficult. Burrow just shattered the previous single season record for passing touchdowns, previously held by Colt Brennan of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, with scorching hot play through the College Football Playoff.

Burrow rounded out his 2019 National Championship and Heisman winning season at LSU by tossing 60 touchdowns and totaling of 65. He also had six total touchdowns and more than 460 passing yards in the National Championship Game. All four of those numbers are all record-breakers.

It won’t be easy for any quarterback to break the records that Burrow set during his torrid pace of production and efficiency last fall. Burrow almost broke the record for FBS completion percentage in a single season (76.3), held by legendary Texas Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy (76.7). He also torched the previous FBS record of passer efficiency rating, that was held by Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa.

However, if there’s any candidate that is a talented star that could take that next step next season among quarterbacks, Ehlinger should be mentioned. Ehlinger should be getting a healthier supporting cast back next season, and likely an improved offensive line.

The main detriment to Ehlinger and this Texas passing game will be the loss of senior star wide receiver Devin Duvernay this coming offseason. Duvernay will run out of eligibility after he was one of the nation’s leading wide receivers in 2019.

Ehlinger finished up his junior season with more than 4,000 total yards and 39 touchdowns, with just 10 interceptions. He did double his interception numbers from the season before, but he was also under pressure a lot more often. Texas led the Big 12 in sacks allowed during the 2019 regular season.

If Ehlinger can bring that number of interceptions down while continuing to become more and more efficient in the passing game all-around, then he could have a slightly smaller rise to national prominence than Burrow did.

But a narrative that is common between Burrow and Ehlinger is the shift in offensive coordinators and schemes. Texas attempted to run a very balanced offense under Herman and former offensive coordinator Tim Beck in the last two years, but that might change up a bit under the direction of the former Ohio State Buckeyes passing game coordinator Mike Yurcich.

Under Yurcich’s direction at Ohio State, second-year star quarterback Justin Fields went from a player who had to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal just to start elsewhere, to a Heisman finalist in the same year. If Yurcich can utilize the dual-threat nature of Ehlinger just like he did Fields, then this could be a special senior season for Ehlinger.

Entering the 2020 season, Ehlinger should be considered one of the Heisman favorites coming out of the Big 12. He had a down year in 2019, at least by the standard that was set for him during the preseason. But he did end 2019 on a high-note with the dominant 28-point Alamo Bowl win over the Utah Utes.

Not only is Texas going to be one of the Big 12 favorites in 2020, they will have a Heisman candidate for the second straight year with Ehlinger. He’s already announced his intentions to return from his senior season and forego the 2020 NFL Draft. Now the long wait starts to see what Texas can do under Herman in his fourth year on the Forty Acres in 2020.