Texas Football 2012: Mack Brown Slowly Inches Closer to Naming a Quarterback

This spring we talked about how Mike Gundy made the smart play to name Wes Lunt his quarterback out of spring ball, while Mack Brown elected to prolong his battle. David Ash, exiting spring, was the guy who should have been named the starter. Instead, Brown elected to carry the quarterback battle into the fall.

At Big 12 Media Days, Mack Brown had a little fun with the quarterback situation, casually deflecting questions in the presence of cheerleaders from other schools. When Brown was ready to get serious, as Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman reported, he tried to speak to the on-going battle:

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saying Ash and McCoy both won games for Texas last year and that they finished in a dead heat at the end of spring football. His words suggest that he still hasn’t decided on a starter though the people I speak with all believe that Ash will be the starter. I believe that as well.

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Brown is set on not showing his hand, at least from the onset. However, as Ben Kercheval over at College Football Talk reports, Brown shows a little more of his thoughts: 

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“I feel like one of those guys will separate themselves this camp,” Brown said.

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As Kercheval reminds us, much like Golden, those of us who have been following the situation and have contacts at Texas all have a wink-nod understanding that Ash is the guy. Mack Brown's playing coy, but the sophomore from Belton, Texas is in the lead spot despite Mack working to keep Case McCoy engaged through offering an opportunity.

With Ash as the "understood" starter, the Longhorns can get back to improving a basic aspect once training camp starts: running the ball. Malcolm Brown, Joe Bergeron and newcomer Johnathan Gray will be the focal point of the team that helps take the pressure off Ash.

Brown's going to continue to slow play the official announcement, but as camp starts to wear on, expect to see Ash grabbing more of the first team reps. He has to, in order to be prepared for that opening week contest against Wyoming.