Casey Thompson, Hudson Card talk Texas quarterback competition

Casey Thompson and Hudson Card are embroiled in a competition to see who gets the honor of becoming this season’s starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. As first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian is wrestling with his decision, the two quarterbacks were complementary of each other.

Casey Thompson on Hudson Card

First, Thompson is the quarterback many expected to be Sam Ehlinger’s successor. After his four touchdown performance in the Alamo Bowl, he was anointed the team’s consensus starter. 

Still, the former four-star recruit in Card is pushing the envelope. When asked what Card is doing well, Thompson compared him to a former Longhorns quarterback.

“Hud does a good job of finding his arm angles and arm slots. I don’t know if he played baseball or not, but he does a really good job of that,” Thompson said, via Texas Longhorns on YouTube. “Similar to Shane Buechele.”

“Whether he has laces or no laces, he does a good job at that. So that’s why I really think he’s doing well right now. It’s just finding good arm angles to throw the football, and getting it out.”

Buechele played well his freshman year at Texas in 2016, throwing for 21 touchdowns. However, he couldn’t keep it going the next two years before eventually transferring to SMU in 2019. Afterwards, he finished his college career strong, throwing for 57 touchdowns in two years.

As we’ve seen with quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, finding good arm angles to throw the football is important. After Thompson paid Card some compliments, the favor was returned.

Hudson Card on Casey Thompson

When asked what Thompson is doing well, Card brought up Thompson’s ability to visualize what he learned in the classroom while on the field.

“I’d say taking the classroom to the field. At the end of the day we’re competing against one another, but it makes us better as players and as competitors,” Card said. “We’re just trying to push each other each and every day. Just going day by day, old school.”

While the spirit of competition is prominent in the Longhorns’ quarterback room, it’s outweighed by respect between the two teammates. While Thompson and Card are both talented players, whoever is named the starting quarterback of the Longhorns should be better after this competition.

Steve Sarkisian on Thompson and Card

Earlier this week, the Texas Longhorns head coach spoke on the difficult decision facing him.

“I had a feeling this would happen, Both Hudson and Casey, neither one is making it easy,” Sarkisian said Monday. “They’re both playing well, they’re both improving, they’re both trying to do the things we’re asking them to do, and that’s what I want them to do.”

Sarkisian is looking for a quarterback to help him develop an identity in his first season in Austin. Judging by the character and ability of both players, he can be confident in either choice.

On3’s Tim Verghese contributed to this article.

Image courtesy of Tim Warner / Getty Images