Texas Longhorns

Strong says he'll evaluate QBs before picking starter against Rice

Published Sep. 7, 2015 2:55 p.m. ET

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Texas coach Charlie Strong didn't commit to starting quarterback Tyrone Swoopes on Saturday when the Longhorns will need to bring a far more prolific offense into their home opener than they showed in getting waxed at Notre Dame.

During his Monday press conference, Strong said he assess Swoopes and redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard this week at practice and then make a decision. Both quarterbacks, however, will likely play.

That might not make disgruntled Longhorns fans happy. Many have seen enough Swoopes and his inability to consistently move the Texas offense. Aside from a few impressive outings last season, Swoopes has struggled to keep the Longhorns out of three-and-out possessions.

As longtime Longhorns beat writer Chip Brown of Horns Digest notes, fans will accept trying to win with Heard at quarterback as opposed to losing with Swoopes. Brown says it's time for Strong and the offensive coaching staff to move away from Swoopes and begin giving a first- and second-team reps at practice to Heard and true freshman Kai Locksley:

"Swoopes still struggles to make the correct reads in the run and passing games. The junior QB still feels the rush before it gets there -- even when he still has time to step up in the pocket and deliver a pass on time.

"And when things got tough Saturday night, Swoopes was on the bench with his head down -- now walking the sideline and reassuring his teammates everything was going to be OK In short, a repeat of last year, when he started 12 games.

"So without embarrassing Swoopes and burying his confidence (even more than it probably alread is), start structuring the offense around Heard and Locksley. Give them the first- and second-team reps -- and go."

During his Monday press conference, Strong said the offense's showing at Notre Dame was embarrassing. That makes three in a row going back to last season's end-of-year debacles against TCU and Arkansas.

"I know this," Strong said Monday, "we're a better football team than we showed [Saturday] night."

That might be true, but it remains to be seen if Swoopes can be a better quarterback.

There are those who don't think so.

(h/t Horns Digest)