Mums ’ the word
Strong keeping a tight lip on identity of UT’s starting QB
AUSTIN — In regard to the ongoing story of Texas’ quarterbacks, Charlie Strong’s words are like the Gospel. There are at least four versions, and each is open to interpretation.
During the past month, Strong has gone from stressing the importance of naming a starter early in preseason camp to outlining the drawbacks of alerting opening-game opponent Notre Dame of his plans.
On Monday morning, Strong told reporters on a Big 12 teleconference he hadn’t made a decision as to who would start against the Fighting Irish. An hour later, he said he already knew the starter’s identity but planned to keep it under wraps until either Tyrone Swoopes or Shane Buechele runs out for the Longhorns’ first possession at Royal-Memorial Stadium this Sunday.
And after suggesting for weeks that he planned to utilize two quarterbacks — bringing up the possibil-
ity of a 50-50 or 60-40 split — Strong declared Monday that whoever starts against Notre Dame will keep the job for the foreseeable future.
“When we name the quarterback, he is our starter,” Strong said. “And he will be our starter until he gets beat out or something happens. … It’s not like we’re going to put him out there and pull him if something bad happens.”
Gauging the situation
So what are UT fans to make of this? As always, many will hear what they want to hear, and there’s enough evidence to support multiple theories. Among them:
• It’s Swoopes, and Strong doesn’t want people to freak out.
Sunday’s opener is sold out, and the Longhorns expect more fans than they’ve ever had for a game coached by Strong. And rightly or not, just about all 105,000 of them already have their minds made up about Swoopes.
Yes, new coordinator Sterlin Gilbert’s up-tempo, no-huddle offense gives Swoopes a better chance to succeed than he’s had in the past. And yes, the senior has been the team’s steadiest performer in camp. He usually is.
But can he wipe away the memories of his often spectacular failures? Not until he gets a chance to show he’s moved beyond them. So maybe Strong is holding off on an announcement to keep a more positive vibe flowing among fans.
The danger in this approach, of course, is the air might be sucked out of the stadium when Swoopes trots onto the field Sunday night. At least any catcalls of displeasure will be difficult to discern from the chants of “Swooooooooopes.”
• It’s Buechele, and Strong wants to protect him.
After a tantalizing performance in UT’s spring-ending scrimmage, the freshman from Arlington Lamar looked like the favorite, and Buechele certainly seems like he has the brightest future. In addition, multiple comments made by Strong several weeks ago gave the impression he’d have no qualms about putting Buechele in charge right away.
But per the Longhorns’ tradition, the starting quarterback talks to the media the Monday before games, and Strong might not have wanted to subject Buechele to that yet.
At the moment, it could be argued Buechele is still blissfully unaware of what he’s getting into. Maybe Strong sees no sense in changing that until he must.
• Strong really doesn’t want Notre Dame to know.
This is what Strong said when he spoke to the media Aug. 20, and he might have been sincere. But he apparently didn’t notice the irony when asked Monday about Notre Dame’s not naming a starting QB and saying it made no difference in how UT’s defense prepares.
The Longhorns are running a completely revamped system, which in theory would make Notre Dame’s film on Swoopes from last year meaningless. And the Irish don’t have any college footage of Buechele. So the strategic upside of secrecy seems limited.
Leaving door ajar?
• Strong intends to play both, and whoever performs better in the opener keeps the job.
Whether this is his intention or not, it’s probably what will happen. If the starter struggles, will Strong be able to resist the urge to make a mid-game change? And if the backup succeeds, won’t he be the favorite to start the next week?
That might be as good an interpretation as any.