David Ash Injury: Updates on Texas QB's Foot and Recovery

Texas Longhorns quarterback David Ash won't participate in the remainder of spring practice due to a fracture in his left foot.

Longhorn Network's official Twitter account reported the news of Ash's injury on Friday, noting that the to-be senior signal-caller will be back in time for fall camp:

Max Olson of ESPN.com noted the limited experience Texas has under center beyond Ash:

This coming 2014 season marks the best opportunity Ash has had in years to establish himself as the Longhorns' clear-cut starter, having split time with Case McCoy in each of the previous three campaigns. Health issues have played a part in Ash's inconsistency, especially in 2013 when he suffered a season-ending head injury that kept him out of all but three games.

Ash has suffered yet another setback in his bid to carve out a legacy in Austin, Texas, creating a lot of uncertainty at the most important position for first-year head coach Charlie Strong.

If he is indeed able to return for preseason camp, the outlook for Ash still looks bright if he can stay on the field. That's because Strong comes from Louisville and groomed top-tier NFL prospect Teddy Bridgewater in a pro-style offense. Strong's tutelage should help Ash ins his bid to realize his obvious potential.

Strong is bringing an intense but caring attitude to the table at Texas.

"I’ve told the players that now, when you come up, you can just walk right in," said Strong, per ESPN.com's Olson. "I just want them to know who we are. When a young man knows that you care about him, he’ll do everything you ask of him."

To look toward the more immediate future beyond Ash's continual development, though, the Longhorns' spring game is slated for April 19. Someone has to play quarterback, and atop the depth chart is expected to be Tyrone Swoopes, who's thrown just 13 passes in his collegiate career.

Given the experience Ash has, it's unlikely that Swoopes will do enough to unseat him for his job in the future, but Swoopes will be getting valuable, necessary reps in a new system. Ash will have his work cut out once he does return to the gridiron.