QB deficiencies remain glaring
Tyrone Swoopes ain’t got it. Any questions? Texas’ season basically boiled down to inconsistent, erratic play at quarterback. A 6-6 record doesn’t lie.
Swoopes isn’t Texas’ quarterback of the future. And he wouldn’t have been the quarterback of the present, had not David Ash been knocked woozy one too many times. Swoopes makes too many poor decisions and poorer throws, has no one great skill and just doesn’t appear ready for this level. A career-high five turnovers in a lopsided 48-10 loss to fifth-ranked TCU on Thursday were the latest evidence.
Who knows why freshman Jerrod Heard redshirted and wasn’t given a chance to play. Sure, he’s not polished and he was more of a running quarterback for Denton Guyer, but the guy won back-to-back Class 4A state championships and could be a gamer when the lights come on. Was saving a year of eligibility for him really more important than learning who the quarterback might be in 2015?
Charlie Strong has never adequately explained why Heard never got a chance. Consequently, we’re left to presume the coaching staff ( a) doesn’t think he can play, (b) thinks he can play with a whole year of seasoning, (c) plans to stick with Swoopes, (d) will try to force-feed the offense to incoming freshman Zach Gentry, who may not show up until June, or (e) will regress in 2015 unless another great defense materializes out of thin air.
Swoopes, after 11 games, has done little to instill faith that he’s a championship quarterback. He’s 5-6 as a starter and didn’t beat a single good team. Against TCU, he had a fumble returned for a touchdown, threw two interceptions and passed for 105 yards through three quarters by which time the outcome had been decided. Another two picks came later.
In Texas’ six losses, he has thrown five touchdowns — one to budding freshman star Armanti Foreman on Thursday — and eight interceptions. Those numbers will get you beat every time.
Now if Texas play-caller Shawn Watson can magically turn Swoopes into the second coming of Teddy Bridgewater, Watson deserves his own statue outside Royal-Memorial Stadium. Otherwise, I don’t know if he confused Senior Night with having a senior moment or two this year.
Texas has a fantastic defense, bad special teams and a quarterback that continues to offer little hope for the future.
Yes, this figured to be a rebuilding year after the starting quarterback and veteran center were lost for the year and Strong kicked off nearly everybody but the water boy. But as impressive as Strong’s coaching was for the most part, his vision for the team’s most critical position was lacking. Strong did inherit a mess at quarterback, but that doesn’t mean he had to perpetuate it.
The positive momentum from three consecutive wins before TCU could evaporate when Texas loses nearly every big playmaker off its killer defense next season and has no clue who its quarterback is going to be. Barring a miracle, we know
who it’s not.