Which Texas QB Needs a Bigger Spring, Jerrod Heard or Tyrone Swoopes?

If there was any question that Texas' quarterback job would be an open competition this spring, consider it answered once and for all. 

When the Longhorns kicked off spring practices last week, head coach Charlie Strong noted that redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard would be receiving equal reps with incumbent starter Tyrone Swoopes.

On the surface, that doesn't look like good news for Swoopes. The junior-to-be had his ups and downs as a starter in 12 games last season, but he really struggled in his final two appearances. He threw four interceptions in the regular-season finale against TCU (a 48-10 loss) and for just 57 yards plus another pick in the Texas Bowl loss to Arkansas. 

Without a doubt, Swoopes, not Heard, has the most to prove under center this spring. It wouldn't be surprising to see the quarterback battle extend into the fall, but Swoopes can make a strong impression over the next several practices. 

Development has been an issue since Swoopes had to learn two offenses in two years. His redshirt was mismanaged as a freshman, and he was thrust into a starting role unexpectedly as a sophomore. Those two things can have damaging effects.

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All the same, Swoopes is entering year three, and it's getting to the point where he's either going to thrive or fall behind. Saying every position is up for grabs is an offseason coachspeak favorite, but in Texas' case, it's the truth.

"Don’t ever think because a guy started last year means he can’t be unseated. If you work hard enough, you will beat him out. I don’t play favorites," Strong said, per CBS DFW.

But that leads to what could be a good thing. Competition is supposed to bring out the best in players. So far, being pushed looks like it has helped Swoopes early on, according to Jeff Howe of 247Sports: 

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Swoopes seemed able to make his reads more efficiently, and the added bonus with him is he can make the NFL-style throws Heard simply can't. One of the routes that was a staple of the first day was Swoopes' ability to hit the 10-12 yard comeback outside the numbers, which is a throw Heard isn't able to make.

In terms of reads, Swoopes was able to find windows within the defense during live periods more often than Heard, who often settled for check-down passes or pulled the ball down and ran with it. That's really where Heard has to grow; Swoopes didn't always complete his passes, but he was able to test the defense more due to his ability to go through his progressions.

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Just because Swoopes is a more polished passer at the moment doesn't guarantee he'll be the starter, but it is a promising sign. Swoopes has always had physical gifts; it's a matter of channeling them in a way that moves the chains. He simply wasn't able to do that last season, at least not on a consistent basis. 

Of course, Texas' offensive woes—the Horns finished last in the Big 12 in passing offense and ninth in points per game—weren't all on Swoopes, as Strong explained to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports: 

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In short: Texas' offensive line was in such bad shape, and there were so few playmakers to get the ball to, that Swoopes was put in an almost impossible situation. 

"I don't care if you had Teddy Bridgewater standing back there last year, people wouldn't have thought he was very good either," said Strong, referring to his former standout QB at Louisville who was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

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There is something to be said for learning from the heat of the moment, though. While interceptions and bad decisions are costly at the time, they can pay dividends down the line. Swoopes has been through a lot, and this is the time in his career when he's either going to grow from those mistakes and come out a better player or be ruined by them.  

Heard is a talented young player who could still be the future face of the offense. Right now, though, it sounds like he's a click or two behind Swoopes. Whether that means Texas has a healthy one-two punch at quarterback, or still no answers at all, remains to be seen. We'll know for sure once the season gets underway. 

Swoopes' leash is short, though. If he eventually wins the starting job but underperforms early, there's no way he remains Texas' only option. It's approaching now-or-never time for Swoopes and Texas. By the sounds of it, Swoopes is responding to that urgency. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com.