Could Shane Buechele play this year?

Discussion in 'On The Field' started by Dionysus, Feb 6, 2016.

  1. Dionysus

    Dionysus Idoit Admin

    Reading this article at Hookem.com it sounds like Charlie intends to give Buechele a serious look at QB as a true freshman. I wonder about Kai Locksley and whether he is still a legitimate candidate for the position, or if maybe he is being considered for another role.

    “Shane, he’s going to have a chance to compete,” Strong said. “With Sterlin and a new offense, we’ll be able to know right away whether a guy can do it or not.” [...] “You’d like to see what really happens now when you get Buechele in there,” Strong said. “It’ll be a very competitive position.”

    Sounds like everyone will have to earn their playing time. I like the open competition approach, let the best guy play.
     
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  2. ViperHorn

    ViperHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Strong had to say that. In the end (and baring injuries) I suspect Buechele will RS unless he is clearly ahead of everyone else in the new offense.
     
  3. car54

    car54 1,000+ Posts

    Unless Merrick or Lockley or Vinklarik wow our new coaches, Buechelle has got to be the man for Charlie to hold on to his job. If Heard or Swoopes play well enough to garner 8 plus wins, Watson was a bum; which doesn't speak well of Charlie even bringing him to Texas. There is no need to RS Buechele with Elhinger (sp) coming in next year.
     
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  4. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    Even if Shane finished 2nd in the competition it would be foolish to shirt your second most capable QB. We all saw how many Big 12 QB's didn't play a full season.

    Coaches understand nowadays they need two QB's who can effectively lead their offense. If the second best QB is a true freshman, Gilbert won't overlook him and elevate the next best non-Freshman. Nothing to worry about.
     
  5. Detective Shilala

    Detective Shilala 2,500+ Posts

    If Heard or Swoopes get 8 or more wins I'll be happy enough with them, and Strong. Watson WAS a bum, and it was a mistake to bring him in, but lets face it, we weren't going to win any championships last year or the year before anyway. Onward and upward!
     
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  6. Detective Shilala

    Detective Shilala 2,500+ Posts

    And back to the original topic, Beuchelle looks like he will be terrific, my dark horse for QB is Merrick.
     
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  7. dukesteer

    dukesteer 5,000+ Posts

    Just a guess, and my take will probably change before ND but, if I am Gilbert I want a kid that sees the entire field, can make quick decisions and has the arm strength and accuracy to complete snap throws sideline to sideline. Basically, he wants the next Colt McCoy to run this offense. (Don't we all.) I really like Heard and believe he can be a game-changer with his feet, but his passing prowess appears to be suspect, at least so far.

    I would not be shocked for our starter on September 3rd to be a player that has yet to take his first snap at Texas.
     
  8. 2003TexasGrad

    2003TexasGrad Son of a Motherless Goat

    The way that Baylor ran the ball against UNC, Id love to utilize the Swoopes package more, but concerning Beuchelle, I dont see any reason he wont be competing for the starting job, especially with an entire spring under his belt. The X factor to me is Locksley. Im very intrigued to see what hes been up to all this time.
     
  9. moondog_LFZ

    moondog_LFZ 5,000+ Posts

    I, too, want the Swoopes package left in the playbook.
    It's just unstoppable for the most part.
    Locksley has been working hard.
    This will be an interesting competition.
     
  10. moondog_LFZ

    moondog_LFZ 5,000+ Posts

    Oh yea.
    I think Buechele will have to look like Colt in his junior year to start.
    I think the only way he starts is if he appears to be head and shoulders above everybody else.
     
  11. 2003TexasGrad

    2003TexasGrad Son of a Motherless Goat

    For Shane to HAVE to look like Colt as a junior means Heisman finalist level quality. We dont need ANY of our QBs to be on that level for us to win 8 games next year. Hell, I dont care who is our QB is if THAT is the standard.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2016
  12. car54

    car54 1,000+ Posts

    He can be like Colt his RS Freshman year and be head and shoulders above Heard and Swoopes.
     
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  13. 2003TexasGrad

    2003TexasGrad Son of a Motherless Goat

    Colt lost to The Ohio State at home in his first start, and then we went 9-3 for the year. Shane can go out and lose to ND at home in his first start, and if at the end of it all we go 9-3 or 8-4, Ill be ecstatic.
     
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  14. moondog_LFZ

    moondog_LFZ 5,000+ Posts

    I'm just saying that if Buechele doesn't look any better than anybody else, then he will not start.
    He will have to look far and away better than at least 4 other QBs that have been on campus for at least a full season.
    A true freshman will not start just because he looks "as good" as everybody else.
    He will really have to amaze the staff during spring and summer workouts.
    As far as Ehrlinger coming in next year, we are at a point again where we are going to see some attrition at QB. Be it position change or transfer.
    And that's a good thing.
     
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  15. jayakris

    jayakris 2,500+ Posts

    But Colt was a redshirt freshman then. A redshirt year makes a BIG difference in a quarterback. Comparing Shane to him isn't correct. The closest comparison to Colt on that count may be Merrick.

    I wouldn't go into spring training thinking that the 4 we have had on campus (three of them 4 star national top-100, 150 and 250 selections) would all suck at a system that is expected to be easier to pick up than what Watson (or even Greg Davis) was trying. Especially with Connor, Vahe, Foreman, Warren, Kirk, Burt, Collins and Newsome playing with them. One of them will look good enough to win 9 games, and we will go with him. Probably one among Swoopes or Heard, if I am putting my money on this. Mostly because they have been on campus 2 and 3 years and heave learned a lot about quarterbacking and how the college game feels, even if they haven't learned Gilbert's system yet.

    At no other position do we see as much difference between a true freshman and a redshirt freshman, in productivity and ability, than the QB position. It is just simply hard to find any true freshman QB who did well in the first year and didn't lose at least 2 or 3 games that he had no business losing. Charlie doesn't have the luxury anymore to lose even a couple of games that he shouldn't lose. I can almost guarantee that if Shane has to start, then Charlie is not returning for a 4th year. It would mean that he again picked a wrong OC. Gilbert just has to be able to put in place a system with the offensive talent around that does not rely on the QB to do everything, and uses the QB only for what he is capable of doing. Both Swoopes and Heard are capable of plenty of productive things. Use them only for what they can do, and adjust the system to just ride on the back of the rest of the talent around them.

    Sure, Shane will have to be given a good look and should be told that he may even not red-shirt. No need to decide that he will redshirt, but I hope he does. But he should clearly be the 4th or 5th option at best, and we should go to him only if we have absolutely no choice. To be frank, an OC has to be brain-dead or have Watson-like stubbornness for us not to find a way to put in a system that can win with Stoopes, Heard, Locksley or Merrick. If I see us having to go to Shane, I will pretty much decide on the next season being a washout again and on Charlie's getting fired. If he goes wrong a 3rd time about the signal caller, and has no ability to step in and give direction on whatever the signal-caller is doing, at least in using the QB properly, then Charlie just has to go. After all, 3 of the 5 QBs were guys he recruited and a 4th one was convinced to sign by him without looking last-minute for an extra QB in 2014. I am pretty confident that Charlie is not that terrible. He will take care of this with Gilbert. We will see somebody other than a true freshman starting, and winning a minimum 8 games this year.
     
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    Last edited: Feb 7, 2016
  16. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    If Shane is our starting QB then we are in deep trouble. If our QB's already here can't beat out a true freshman then our offense is truly handicapped and we don't win more than 7-8 games.

    Shane is very talented, but raw talent isn't enough at this level of football.
     
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  17. eastexhorn

    eastexhorn 250+ Posts

    IMO 95% or more QBS and OL should be redshirted. Then if Shane is best let him play. Win 9 or 8 games or Charlie might be gone.
     
  18. Dionysus

    Dionysus Idoit Admin

    I agree. I was mostly wondering if he is good enough to get some playing time. If he is the best we have at this point that ain’t good.
     
  19. OldHippie

    OldHippie 2,500+ Posts

    Brian Davis of the Austin American Statesman just wrote a long article about Buechele competing for the starting job in today's (Sunday's) paper. He mentioned Buechele will be competing for the job against Swoopes, Heard and Locksley but never mentions Merrick. I've seen this before and I don't know if this is just that the AAS does not realize Merrick exists on the roster as a scholarship QB or that they feel Merrick's skills are so inferior he has no chance to play.

    I've read others say Merrick's skill set may be the most like Colt's and the best fit for this offense. So, to me, Merrick is the biggest unknown in the QB race and I have no idea where he fits. The whole spring QB thing will be very interesting to watch. I'm glad there are lots of guys competing including Buechele and let the best man win.
     
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  20. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    The QB who proves most effective in executing Gilbert's offense will start. Doesn't matter if he's just a little bit better or much better. This offense is new to all 5 of them. None have run it in a college game.

    The starter will be the one that Gilbert feels gives us the best chance to win. He'll fill the position with the best option regardless of age. Seniority preference over even slightly better production is for losers.
     
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  21. dukesteer

    dukesteer 5,000+ Posts

    I have a different take. Unlike at this time in 2015, when we had only one returning QB (with an uneven record) with any game experience, we now have two, plus a RS freshman, a gray shirt and a highly touted incoming player that will have the benefit of spring practice. It is almost a sure thing that the position will be upgraded, perhaps dramatically, when we take the field on 9/3. And if Buechele "is" the starter, that will mean that he has beaten out some very talented competition. My prediction is that we will be very pleased by the performance we see at the position, early in the coming season.
     
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  22. jayakris

    jayakris 2,500+ Posts

    There should be no seniority preference, but there is an exception between freshmen and red-shirt freshmen, just at the QB spot. There is an overabundance of data on it. Nothing to do with age or seniority. Simply the change that happens from seeing the college game, being on the sideline, learning the dynamics of play-calling and decision-making, and seeing the speed difference from high school. They all need to see it up close for a year's worth of games. It makes a huge difference. I agree with you that there should be no automatic seniority preference for a junior or senior QB over a red-shirt freshmen though. Way too many Colts and Manziels have happened in college. I cannot even remember who was the last true freshman QB to do anything much. They just cannot do it, whoever it is.
     
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  23. LAGA4

    LAGA4 500+ Posts

    I've got a feeling we're going to run the ball a lot more that most of us think we are. Especially early in the year.

    If that's true, I think Heard begins the year as starter but maybe not end as starter if he doesn't begin to throw better as the year goes on.
     
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  24. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    Agree 100%. I don't think Coach Strong, and Coach Gilbert are going to start anyone who hasn't earned it. I certainly have no ability to read the future, will not see any practices, etc. I have some confidence in the players here. I think they will perform much better in the new offense than they did in the offense that Watson had them in until he was fired in the 2nd week.

    This offense will be good not only for Shane but also for the older guys.
     
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    Last edited: Feb 7, 2016
  25. BevoJoe

    BevoJoe 10,000+ Posts

    Going in to the spring, I think Heard and Swoopes are the two main QBs, with Heard most likely starting the fall. Swoopes has his nitch pretty well sewed up, being the short yardage guy to get those tough few yards or to bulldoze in for a score. Locksley has been training in the off season to improve his skills at the QB position as has Merrick. Buechele will be tested in the spring at QB and so will Merrick, but how much time each gets with the first squad remains to be seen. The competition will be, IMO, between Heard, Locksley (at this time and unless he switches positions) Merrick and Buechele.

    My suspicion is that when the season kicks off provided Heard is the starter, should he struggle with the same issues as last year, we may see a new face, perhaps even a true frosh at QB. Right now, it is too early to speculate the Heard will struggle, that Locksley may switch positions, or that Merrick or Buechele is going to be the answer. We'll see how the spring goes. But we won't truly know until Notre Dame comes to town in September. One other thing, at this point, I have more trust that our new OC will be better at evaluating which QB develops and will be best to run his style of offense.
     
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  26. StructureDude

    StructureDude 100+ Posts

    My tea leaves say that Buechele doesn't end up playing this year unless there are some QB injuries. They also indicate that the starting QB position will go to either Locksley or Merrick with Heard becoming a "gimmick" player and Swoopes coming in for occasional short yardage. That's my "way too early" QB prediction based on nothing but....well just nothing.
     
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  27. Crockett

    Crockett 5,000+ Posts

    I've been a consistent advocate of redshirting quarterbacks. But if you have a Jared Goff or Teddy Bridgewater and no experienced QBs emerge as excellent competitors, then you play him.

    It's not reasonable to expect Shane to be as good as Goff or Bridgewater. But if he is, start him in 2016.

    As an aside: why would Longhorn fans start now with reasonable expectations for quarterbacks?
     
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    Last edited: Feb 8, 2016
  28. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    I don't disagree with that for the most part. You are correct in the massive differences between HS and college football. I experienced them firsthand like some others have.

    But I will add that the large majority of past QB's didn't enroll early in Spring. That makes a HUGE difference from those who begin college practice just a few months before the season. Early entries are way ahead of their classmates during summer practice.

    Even though it's difficult to succeed as a true frosh, it's not as unusual and insurmountable of a task as it sounds when enrolling early.

    There are true frosh QB's who can make that adjustment and succeed right away. We saw one just last year in the same offense we are about to run.

    Although Stidham didn't start until later in the season at Baylor, he looked pretty damn good as a true frosh starter last year...

    75 for 109, 68.8%, 1,265 yards, 12 TD, 2 INT

    The second part that makes it more likely a true fresh could start for us is that our QB situation is extremely far from the norm. Most new QB's join the team with an already defined starter in place. We are nowhere near that.

    We have 2 former starters and neither has any legit claim to be the leader or best option. The 2 other returning options have as many live college snaps as Buechele...zero.

    So yes, winning the job as a true Freshman is rare and highly difficult with the adjustments that need to be made at the next level.

    At the same time, all Buechele needs to do is be better than 4 other guys who all trail him in ability in regards to the complete QB package.

    It's not usual for a true fresh to win the job. But this is an unusual QB competition with no clear leader, brand new coaching, and a brand new offense.

    Stidham made this same offense run like a race car as a true frosh last year. Not about to say Buechele can't do the same.
     
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    Last edited: Feb 8, 2016
  29. 2003TexasGrad

    2003TexasGrad Son of a Motherless Goat

    Of course Colt got to redshirt a year, but Colt was a 2 star recruit playing at a 2A high school who was raw. Shane played at a 6A school that made a nice run in the playoffs, is a legit 4 star recruit who will have all of the spring and summer to learn a system that is new for all the QBs. I love Colt but I think Shane has the opportunity to be as successful.
     
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  30. Firefly

    Firefly 25+ Posts

    If he is the best player at his position he should play!
     
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