By Kevin Flaherty
FOXSportsSouthwest.com
Spring practice is one of the most exciting times for college football fans. The practices, and ensuing Spring Game, represent the first football since the end of the previous season, and a temporary oasis in the desert of non-football from January until August.
Spring also represents a time to answer questions, and the 2011 Texas Longhorns have plenty of those following a 5-7 bowl-less season in 2010. The season marked the low point of the Mack Brown era, and facilitated a busy offseason that saw Brown replace most of the members of a staff that coached a national runner-up just two years ago.
You'll notice that none of the five questions relates directly to mass changeover in the coaching staff. That's because coaches tend to keep things vanilla in the spring, and most questions about those coaches won't really be answered until the fall.
Without further ado, here's five questions for the spring:
1) Who's the quarterback?
The quarterback gets plenty of press when the team wins, and returning starter Garrett Gilbert certainly received much of the blame for the Longhorns' offensive woes when Texas lost. Gilbert threw just 10 touchdown passes to 17 interceptions and came up short on multiple comeback attempts. His primary value seemed to be as a runner, which doesn't bode well when the other three quarterbacks on roster are arguably better athletes. Still, at least one Big 12 assistant said Gilbert wasn't to blame for last year's struggles, citing inferior personnel around him.
Some of those issues should be fixed this year, though Gilbert might not get to enjoy them. The quarterback position is up for grabs, with Connor Wood appearing to be the most likely competition. Some within the program feel that Wood is the best talent on roster, a good athlete with a quick release. But Case McCoy, who beat out Wood last year for the No. 2 job, shouldn't be discounted either. David Ash, a true freshman who enrolled early for the spring, faces an uphill battle.
Even with all the competition, Gilbert will likely be regarded as the frontrunner, courtesy of his starting experience. But that edge might not be big enough for him to keep his job, especially if Wood, a redshirt freshman, is as good as advertised.
2) How will the young cornerbacks develop?
Aaron Williams elected to forgo his senior season with the Longhorns to enter the NFL Draft. The move appears to be a good one for him, as a good workout could propel the cornerback into a spot in the first round. But it also severely dents the Longhorns' cornerback rotation. The top cornerback is now sophomore Carrington Byndom, who appears to be an ideal cover cornerback and a potential rising star in new coordinator Manny Diaz's defense.
A.J. White, another true sophomore, is the second most experienced corner. And Eryon Barnett spent some time on the two-deep a year ago, though he largely played special teams. He is coming back from a left knee injury and is expected to be ready for spring ball. In short, the Longhorns lost their top three cornerbacks and lack experience after those three.
Texas coach Mack Brown has insisted in the past that Kenny Vaccaro, now a junior, could play cornerback, though his ideal position is as a safety or nickel back. A safer bet for a spring wild card might be Quandre Diggs. The true freshman enrolled early and has outstanding change of direction. He's also thickly built, and has the strength to jam bigger receivers, an uncommon trait for young cornerbacks.
3) How will the new, and old, blood mix on the offensive line?
One of the most shocking parts of 2010 was how badly the offensive line played, and more specifically, how older players were starting over their obviously more talented counterparts. This year, Texas returns a senior center in David Snow, among the line's most steady players a year ago, and a senior offensive guard in Tray Allen, who can also play tackle. Allen was slated to start last season, but injured his foot and received a medical redshirt.
If there was a benefit from Allen's injury, it's that Mason Walters and Trey Hopkins were able to get experience. By the end of the season, Walters was dependable at worst, while Hopkins showed outstanding potential. He's an agile athlete with great feet, and could also slide out to tackle in a pinch. Both were just freshmen last year.
Whether Hopkins will have to move depends in part on the health of Luke Poehlmann and the development of Paden Kelley, who saw plenty of time due to injuries a year ago. Poehlmann will miss spring practice, but should be ready for summer workouts. Other players to watch include Garrett Porter and Thomas Ashcraft.
Other than Snow and Allen, the options are a hodgepodge of underclassmen, many of whom are high on talent. How those players transition and work together will go a long way toward the Longhorns' 2011 success.
4) Where's the speed at safety?
In 2010, Texas started a pair of juniors
