Strong talks quarterbacks and the hunt for a kicker

Shane Buechele. (Will Gallagher/IT)

AUSTIN — Charlie Strong wanted the quarterback issue settled by the end of spring training. Now, the Texas coach is hoping someone will make a move before the end of August camp.

But make no mistake: early enrollee Shane Buechele has the coaches’ attention.

“I don’t know if there will be a guy by the end of spring,” Strong said Tuesday following the 10th practice of spring ball.

He later added, “We’re going to continue to allow them to compete and play its way out. If it takes having to go into fall camp before we pick a guy, then that’s what we’ll do.”

For now, it’s a two-horse race, almost by default, between incumbent Tyrone Swoopes and Buechele. Jerrod Heard (sprained shoulder) will be in the M.A.S.H. unit the rest of the spring while Kai Locksley (reportedly) has been in the dog house. (To be fair, it’s not a term Strong used to describe the RS-freshman but said Locksley “was not getting as many reps” because “he’s working through some things right now.”

Heard would have returned this spring, Strong noted, if there were more than just five practices left on slate. Swoopes and Buechele have “done a good job of managing the offense” during the installation of Sterlin Gilbert’s up-tempo spread.

Strong said he would not hesitate to start a true freshman against Notre Dame. He commended Buechele for his work ethic and knowledge of the game.

“Shane is like a gym rat. He’s always around (the offices). He’s always learning. When you have a player like that, he’s only going to make the other two (quarterbacks) better because they see how hard he works. It drives them to work even harder. I would not be at all afraid to start him because I know he would go out there and compete and do what we asked him to do.”

The biggest rub on Buechele has been his undersized frame (6-foot-1, 190), but he has been markedly accurate during his initial foray into college football.

“Shane knows where to put the ball. He’s been in a (high school) offense similar to what we’re doing right now. He’s only going to get better.”

Swoopes continues to take most of the snaps with the 1’s and, like a fine wine, Strong expects him to improve “with age.” Yet, the story line remains that Strong does not boast the confidence one might expect of a strong-armed, fourth-year physical specimen.

“It’s all confidence. So much of that plays into it. You’ve got to have an offensive line that can protect him, and he’s got to be confident in his offensive line. We’ve got running backs right now that can run the ball. We’ve got to have receivers that make the catches. We put so much into just one position, but it’s not just one position.”

Indeed, Strong wants more depth on the O-line and is desperate for playmakers to emerge on the D-line. And his parting shot to the media was: “If you find a kicker out there, send him to me.”

Otherwise, there are now more pieces in place than at any time in Strong’s tenure.

The running backs are “solid”, as are the back 7, defensively.

The WRs are “making plays” (which is not something Strong was able to say all last season). Early enrollee Collin Johnson continues to add the hype he’s generated all spring.

“Johnson has height (6-foot-5), he has speed, he can catch the football and he does a really good job with total body position. He makes the tough catches.”

Overall, the Texas QB will have a better supporting cast than at any time during Strong’s time on the 40 Acres. But with the game’s most important position still unsettled at Texas (for what? the 7th year?), it’s no wonder Strong, on several occasions, referenced his signal callers strictly as game managers.

“We just need to make sure we manage the offense well enough, whether it’s Tyrone, Buechele, Jerrod or whoever’s in there, they have to be able to move the football, make the right throws and put us in the right place.”