Texas Football: 5 Storylines Heading into Spring Ball

Mack Brown and company may have the team in place to put Texas at the top of the college football world.

They return a total of 16 starters, and in a watered-down Big 12, they should be able to improve on a combined 13-12 record over the last two years.

Although we still may be months away from college football kicking off, spring ball is right around the corner. The Longhorns first spring practice is scheduled for Feb 23, and the spring game will take place on April 1.

As we get ready for everything spring has to offer, here are the top five storylines to pay attention to.

Who Will Make the Special Teams Special?

While everybody is focused on the questions at the quarterback position, it's important to also focus on the special teams. Justin Tucker is no longer on the team, and that's concerning news considering he was the punter and the kicker for the Longhorns last season.

We've seen a lot lately where games come down to a field goal kicker, and the Longhorns are likely going to experience plenty of those games this year. They must find an answer to fill the void that Tucker left.

Sophomore kicker Ben Pruitt should be the favorite to become the starting field goal kicker considering he was the backup behind Tucker last year. While William Russ will likely handle the punting duties, he only punted once in his entire career.

This may not be the most popular topic this offseason, but it's something that must be addressed before the season kicks off.

Answers at Linebacker?

There aren't many questions for the Longhorns on the defensive side of the ball, but linebacker is one of them that needs to be addressed. Many players on defense return from a year ago, but linebackers Emmanuel Acho and Keenan Robinson are no longer on the team.

There's depth with players like Steve Edmond, Jordan Hicks and Kendall Thompson more than capable of stepping up the plate. Even freshmen such as Peter Jinkens, Dalton Santos and Alex De La Torre will have an opportunity to contribute early on.

The lack of experience at the linebacker position may cause problems for the Longhorns early on in the season. 

How Many Running Backs Will Be Used?

Texas heads into the season with a lot of talent in the offensive backfield.

Malcolm Brown is obviously going to be the starter considering he's proven the most last season and did a fantastic job on limited carries.

Sophomore Joe Bergeron will likely become the backup behind Brown as he averaged 6.4 yards a carry his freshman season. But D.J. Monroe looks to get plenty of carries as well and true freshman Johnathan Gray should be in the mix also.

"They were both out on the field early," a source said. "They were ready to go. I don't think either of them liked how last season finished and they were out there, they were prepared and ready."

It looks like Texas is going to use all of its depth at the running back position and will get creative as possible.

Who's the Quarterback?

It's amazing how many good teams heading into the year still don't know who their starting quarterback is. Texas is one good signal-caller away from competing in the Big 12 and returning to a BCS bowl. The question is, will it be Colt McCoy or David Ash?

McCoy has potential as he completed 61 percent of his passes and showed absolute brilliance against UCLA. But Ash did finish the end of the season strong and has shown to have a stronger arm than McCoy and can make plays with his feet as well.

At this point, I'd pick Ash because I believe he gives the Longhorns the best chance to win. But this competition will be decided in the next few months and will be the key battle to watch as the spring opens up.

After the first practice, nobody has pulled away in the competition.

"Both of them have areas in which they can improve," head coach Mack Brown said, "so we're not going to get into who walks out first at any position today. We're just trying to see what you got."

Will This Be the Year the Longhorns Get Back on Track?

This question obviously won't be answered in the spring, but it is a question worth being asked now. Texas simply hasn't been the same team we're used to seeing the last couple of seasons, but with an extremely talented team returning, things could turn around.

The Longhorns are a very young team but are talented enough on both sides of the ball to compete for the Big 12 this season. If the quarterback situation is handled properly, the Longhorns could get back to their winning ways and finally put those Mack Brown rumors to rest.

This is a huge year for the head coach and the football program as a whole.

Randy Chambers is a B/R featured columnist that covers college football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail].