Casey Thompson, Hudson Card talk ongoing QB competition

Ahead of his first season as head coach of the Texas Longhorns, Steve Sarkisian is weighing his options in what he called the toughest quarterback competition he has overseen while leading a program.

Junior Casey Thompson and redshirt freshman Hudson Card are the two making the decision difficult for Sarkisian. Thompson, a fourth-year player from just outside of Oklahoma City, has experience on his side as well as a strong performance in Texas’ most recent contest versus Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Card, a second-year signal-caller from Lake Travis High School, possesses a strong passing reputation and arm talent that has drawn rave reviews from those who have seen him spin the rock.

On Wednesday, Texas made both players available to the media to describe the ongoing competition. As expected, both offered similar answers and spoke about what each needed to personally improve upon to win the job.

“The quarterback battle is going great,” Thompson said. “Today I think was practice five. I’m still excited. I still have the same passion as if it was day one. I feel really good about it. I feel good about my performance and my execution. I feel good about the offense. I feel good about this team and the preparation. I think it’s a healthy competition and I’m excited to see what happens.”

Both have at least a year in a college football program under their belts, but each were presented with the identical challenge of having to learn a brand new offense following Tom Herman’s dismissal and Sarkisian’s hire.

Learning the playbook and getting the new offensive system down is an ongoing process for both players, even as the Sept. 4 opener against Louisiana creeps closer and closer.

“Each day there’s something new that you can learn from and grow from, and I think that’s what I’m focused on right now,” Card said. “In the film room, just learning from my mistakes and just trying to grow each and every day. Just get the system down, get the right terminology down with me and the coaches, and just try to improve every day.”

Offensive acumen is important, but there are other aspects of playing what Sarkisian has repeatedly called the most important position in football. Quarterbacks are looked to as leaders both on and off the field. Each player has a different style of bringing others with them.

“Towards the end of practice I think that I’m doing a really good job of being a leader and pushing the offensive line and pushing the guys,” Thompson said. “Making sure that we finish, we strain, and doing everything Coach Sark talks about.”

That’s an area Card, who admittedly is more of a ‘lead by example’ player, is working on during preseason camp.

“That’s something I can improve on, too, being more vocal and I’ve been working on that,” Card said. “I’ve been trying to improve and just ultimately get the teammate’s respect.”

Leadership will play a role, but what happens on the field will be the biggest determining factor. Each knows these practices and upcoming scrimmages are where they have an opportunity to show off their ability, even if it involves taking some risks.

“Sark always tells me playing quarterback is like being a NASCAR driver,” Thompson said. “You have to find the threshold of how fast or how slow you can go to turn that corner. If you don’t try it in practice you’ll never know for the game. When you do make a mistake, just put it to the side, have a next play mentality, and learn from it today.”

Both quarterbacks were given opportunities by the media to do a little bit of campaigning for each’s cause. Neither decided to take the bait considering they know who ultimately will decide who QB1 will be.

“Steve Sarkisian is the head man,” Thompson said. “He’s going to make the decision.”

Hudson Card, Casey Thompson on each other’s strengths

Both quarterbacks were asked what they’ve seen their competitor do well during fall camp.

Casey Thompson: “He does a good job of just finding good arm slots and spinning the football, whether he has laces or no laces. He does a good job at that.”

Hudson Card: “I would say taking the classroom to the field.”

Cover photo by Shane Ware for Inside Texas