The Texas’ coaches have named sophomore David Ash as the starter at quarterback for the Horns’ season-opening game versus Wyoming Sept. 1. The “breaking” news crawled across the bottom of the screen on ESPN’s family of networks Tuesday night, perhaps allowing Longhorn fans from across the globe to take a collective breath after an off-season of holding that air.
Really, Ash has been expected to be under center for the first snap against the Cowboys, and there is every reason to believe that he has earned that right. He was the only QB that played in the Horns’ Holiday Bowl win over Cal last December, started the spring game on April Fools’ Day and has been rumored to be getting the lion’s share of reps with the first team in fall practice.
And after all, someone has the start; Ash is the logical choice. If he does take that first snap, it doesn’t mean he will take every snap or has even played well enough to be the full-time starter. It just means he hasn’t taken any steps back from where he left off in the spring.
Texas co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin said Monday that both Ash and junior Case McCoy will play against Wyoming – how each performs under the lights and in practice the following week will determine the starter for the Sept. 8 game against New Mexico. Remember that McCoy started five games in 2011 as part of the “hot quarterback” rotation used by the Horns in that 8-5 campaign. It will be up to one or the other to claim, and hold, the No. 1 spot for the entire season.
While it would be ideal for the Horns to be able to have one player to lead the team at quarterback, coach Mack Brown is determined to have two ready at every turn. It would be a surprise – and quite frankly – a pleasant one, if one of the QBs improves enough to establish himself as the every-game starter.
Ash will get the first shot at spot, but the competition is far from over.