Texas Football: Biggest Storylines Heading into Fall Camp

July is almost over. That means fall camp is right around the corner. While some programs (looking at you, Ohio State) are sitting pretty with high expectations, other programs are still looking to get things turned around. 

Which brings us to the Texas Longhorns. 

Head coach Charlie Strong has some major questions to answer heading into Year 2. Which storylines are we watching for as the Horns start up preseason camp? We've selected a handful below based on unanswered position battles exiting spring, notable areas of improvement and high-profile freshmen joining the program. 

Who Separates Themselves in the Quarterback Battle?

Strong knew this question was coming at Big 12 media days. How could he not? It's only the most-watched position and was a nightmare oftentimes last season. It's inexcusable to be at Texas and not have a good quarterback situation for this long. 

"A lot is made about the quarterback position, and it should be," Strong said. "When it plays well, it gets a lot of praise. When it plays bad, it gets a lot of criticism."

Junior Tyrone Swoopes did receive a lot of criticism in 2014. While some of it was merited, Texas' offensive struggles can't be placed entirely on him, either. Not when the offensive line failed to protect him. 

Redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard isn't out of the race, especially since quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson gave glowing reviews of Heard in the spring. However, the vibe at Big 12 media days from Strong and running back Johnathan Gray was that Swoopes is the legitimate front-runner heading into preseason camp. 

Does that mean the proverbial light hasn't quite turned on for Heard, or that Swoopes really has improved that much over the offseason? Or is it both? Perhaps we'll find out in earnest. 

Strong said that both quarterbacks will play in the season opener against Notre Dame, which indicates the battle is still close. Perhaps the best way to determine who starts is by putting them in live situations to see how each reacts. 

What About at Wide Receiver?

The other position in question on offense other than quarterback is at wide receiver, which loses its top two players from a year ago: John Harris and Jaxon Shipley. Marcus Johnson is the leading returning receiver, but who else steps up?

Erich Schlegel/Getty Images

Strong specifically mentioned Daje Johnson during Big 12 media days. Johnson, a senior, has split time between running back and wide receiver, and he has contributed on special teams. A speedster with all the athleticism in the world, Johnson has yet to have the type of breakout season that's been expected of him.

"I was just teasing Daje the other day, and I said, 'You haven't made a play since Oklahoma (2013) when you returned that punt for a touchdown,'" Strong said. "There's got to be a point where he's got to step up and start at that position." 

Johnson, Lorenzo Joe and Jacorey Warrick were all named by Strong, but none had more than 10 receptions a year ago. True freshman John Burt may be asked to contribute right away, as well. 

First-year wide receivers coach Jay Norvell, who comes to Texas after being let go at Oklahoma, will be tasked with developing a unit of largely unknown names. 

The Growth of Malik Jefferson

No Texas recruit has garnered as much attention over the past several months as linebacker Malik Jefferson. The former No. 1 player in the state of Texas, as determined by 247Sports, was an early enrollee who turned plenty of heads during the spring with his versatility. 

Now, entering preseason camp, Jefferson has put on some weight to bring him to a bulkier 240 pounds: 

This should terrify anyone who plays Texas' defense this year. Jefferson filled out his frame and will be taking snaps in Week 1 against Notre Dame. 

"What's helped Malik is he came in in January, so he knows the system,” Strong told Jeff Howe of 247Sports. “It's so funny because you'll see the freshmen who came in in June and they kind of think Malik is older than them and it feels like that because they think, 'Well, Malik has been here.' But, no, he's a freshman just like you are.”

And because Jefferson is still a freshman, there are still going to be plenty of times when he looks lost or makes a mistake. That's to be expected. But what kind of growth does Jefferson display from a few months ago in the spring? Does he look any more confident? Is he thinking less and executing more? Is he even to that point yet? 

Jefferson is going to be a heck of a player for the Longhorns. He just needs reps. 

Which Freshmen Impress in the Secondary?

Cornerback Duke Thomas returns to Texas as a preseason All-Big 12 selection by the media, but the Longhorns secondary is easily the biggest question mark on defense because of their youth.

They are a talented and deep group, however, and one that could see some freshman take the field this fall. Among the freshmen who could see playing time as a starter or rotational player include 4-star corners Holton Hill and Kris Boyd, PJ Locke, DeShon Elliott and redshirt freshman John Bonney. 

“Boyd, that boy there, I like him a lot,” Thomas told Nick Castillo of The Dallas Morning News. “He’s one of the guys that gets after it. I just call him KB. I’ve known him through the recruiting process. He’s a really cool dude.”

While Thomas is a surefire starter at one corner spot, the other corner position, nickelback and safety could be more up for grabs. Strong is a defensive coach at heart and has invested a lot of time into getting great, young talent on that side of the ball. The fruits of those recruiting labors should pay off in the secondary over the next few years. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.