Charlie Strong Should Take the Gamble on Freshman Shane Buechele for Starting QB

Even though it fits his philosophy on the field, Texas football head coach Charlie Strong's new offensive coordinator doesn't want to hurry things up with his quarterback race.

After Texas' spring game Saturday, Longhorns assistant Sterlin Gilbert offered no timetable for how long it will take to pick the new QB1 in Austin.

"To me, as much as I love to go fast, I want that thing to be right," Gilbert said, per Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman. "As long as it goes, it goes. We've just got to make sure we've got the right guy and it's the right decision."

Gilbert's words were supposed to throw the brakes on the runaway hype train that is Shane Buechele, the true freshman and early enrollee who stole the show in his Texas debut this past weekend.

But the postgame statement didn't slow down the Buechele buzz, and it shouldn't.

If anything, Strong and his staff need to go all-in on their new quarterback. They might not be able to afford to let that chance pass them by in 2016.

Eric Gay/Associated Press

On Saturday, Buechele looked more like the present of the Texas quarterback position than he did the future. In just one half of a rain-shortened contest, he completed 22 of 41 passes for 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns, rotating with senior Tyrone Swoopes.

At one point in spring camp, Swoopes looked like he was the leader again in the quarterback race. But on Saturday, he went 4-of-16 through the air for 71 yards and a pair of interceptions.

"Shane did have a good day, a really good day," Strong said, per Max Olson of ESPN.com. "Tyrone has had his days. He didn't have it today, but at practice, you see it happening."

Strong and Gilbert won't rush to make a decision on the quarterback job, considering the third member of the quarterback battle, Jerrod Heard, missed the last stretch of spring practices and Saturday's scrimmage with a shoulder injury.

But whenever Heard returns, it still should be Buechele's job to lose.

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Heard and Swoopes have showed what they bring to the table for Texas, and consistency isn't one of their strong suits.

Heard went off for 364 passing yards against an awful Cal defense last year and topped 200 yards through the air only one more time—against lowly Kansas. Swoopes is 6-8 all-time as a Texas starter.

And while it's easy to fall in love with Buechele's spring game stats from this past weekend, what stood out even more was his poise and confidence in the pocket for a player who should still be in high school.

"The day he stepped on this campus, he's been a guy that you know will be relaxed and patient," Strong said, per Olson. "Nothing is going to fluster him."

That's one of the biggest endorsements Strong could give Buechele. It's difficult to start as a true freshman quarterback in big-time college football. The pressure is immense, and the speed of the game is tough.

But by enrolling early, Buechele has gotten a head start in an offense that he seems born to run.

Texas hired Gilbert, a part of Art Briles' coaching tree through Dino Babers and Philip Montgomery, to bring a fast-paced, run-pass option (RPO) offense to Texas. In the arms race that is offensive football in the Big 12, the Longhorns needed more firepower.

And while Heard and Swoopes are adjusting to the ins and outs of the RPO scheme this offseason, Buechele is like a blank slate. Actually, he might be even more appealing than a blank slate, considering this is the same type of offense he ran at Lamar High School in Arlington, Texas. 

The way Buechele led that familiar type of offense Saturday in the spring game was a sight for sore eyes in Austin, and that should continue into the fall.

Starting a true freshman quarterback is a gamble, especially with the opening stretch of games Texas has in 2016. The Longhorns play Notre Dame, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma within the first six weeks of the season.

Some may think throwing a teenage quarterback out to the Fighting Irish in Week 1 would be football suicide. And there's a fair chance Buechele could struggle in his first few games as a collegiate starter.

Eric Gay/Associated Press

But consider the situation Strong finds himself in this season.

If Texas wins six or seven games this season—or fewer—with Swoopes or Heard at quarterback, it'll look like a lot of the "same old, same old" in Austin.

However, if Texas makes a bowl with a true freshman at quarterback, one who should improve as the season goes on after a tough opening stretch, Strong can point to forward momentum on the offensive side of the ball. That's a great insurance policy for a coach on the hot seat.

Handing the keys to Buechele, a young quarterback who has already showed in practices and scrimmages that he can lead this type of offense with confidence beyond his years, could buy more time for Strong and his staff in the eyes of the fanbase and—more importantly—the powers that be at Texas.

The Longhorns will be able to carry that young offensive growth into at least two more seasons with Buechele, building the new-look offense around the exciting cornerstone. Even if Buechele starts slowly, the positives outweigh the negatives.

Strong and Gilbert are wise to hold off on making a decision right now and allowing Heard to come back to the battle at full health. But it's telling that Heard wasn't able to gain an edge on Swoopes in spring camp.

Swoopes and Heard could continue to play key roles in the Texas offense, as the former starred in a power-running package last season. If the smaller Buechele goes down with an injury, Heard would be an experienced backup ready to lead the team.

Strong made it clear Saturday he won't make any personnel decisions for his quarterbacks until he's absolutely sure.

"When we make that decision, it won’t be a tie," Strong said, per Olson. "It'll be a guy who's clearly stepped out and, boom, that's the guy, let's go with him and let's go play."

This weekend, Buechele clearly stepped out.

And with the pressure mounting on him heading into the 2016 season, Strong shouldn't be scared of the one they call "Boo."

Stats courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.