Longhorns can win big with Buechele at quarterback

By Steve Habel, Senior Contributing Writer

AUSTIN, Texas — Sam Ehlinger won the preseason competition to be the starting quarterback for Texas for a reason: he is the best man for the job.

Yet, there was little doubt that Shane Buechele would likely get important reps for the Longhorns this season, and his teammates have lauded him for how he’s worked hard to be ready when his number was called.

Buechele hadn’t seen the field all year until UT’s most recent game, a 23-17 win Oct. 13 over Baylor in Austin, when he came on in relief for an injured Ehlinger early in the game.

While there was admittedly a little rust and nerves that come from seeing the field for the first time, Buechele produced well enough to lead the Longhorns to the win, hitting on 20 of his 34 passes for 184 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

“I was a little antsy at first,” Buechele admitted about playing in the Baylor game. “Once adrenaline kicks in, you go to the basics of playing football.”

[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]

Buechele built confidence all along

The junior signal caller has 19 starts and 22 games under his belt in his two-plus seasons on the Forty Acres. He has thrown 17 touchdown passes in his career at Texas, and has the unwavering support of coach Tom Herman, who considers Buechele to be one of the most selfless and most prepared players he has coached.

“There’s certainly a lot of confidence that Sam had earned in his teammates, but based off what Shane Buechele has done in his career here, there’s nobody that doubts that we can win games with him and win big games with him,” Herman said.

“A lesser person would see themselves as relegated or diminished to that backup role. I don’t think anybody was any bit concerned when he jogged into the game.”

Plan to be prepared

Ehlinger, who suffered a Grade 1 shoulder sprain early in the win over Baylor, is expected to be cleared to play, and start, Saturday at Oklahoma State. If he can’t go, Buechele will start but Texas will not change its game plan based on who’s behind center.

“Shane is an above-average quarterback,” Herman said. “He a dual-threat guy with a fantastic release. Does he do things differently and some things better than Sam? Certainly. But there’s not enough of a gap in their different skill sets to merit ‘different’ game plans.”

Texas wide receiver Collin Johnson, who hauled in a 44-yard touchdown pass from Buechele against Baylor, has always enjoyed a rapport with Buechele.

“Really nothing is different,” Johnson said. “Shane’s always been the type of guy to be the first one in, if not one of the first ones in the building every day. That’s just kind of how he’s always approached the game of football. He’s just going to continue being Shane and being a good teammate as well a good leader while he keeps getting better at practice.”

Buechele believes he has the skill to be Texas’ starting quarterback but as never made waves about losing the job to Ehlinger. He could, as many other quarterbacks have done around college football this year, transferred and used 2018 as a redshirt year.

Be the best teammate

Instead he stayed in Austin because he’s a “team” guy and knows he’s always one snap away from potentially assuming the position.

“You never want this to happen — you never expect it to happen,” Buechele said of Ehlinger’s injury. “Just talking with my family and my teammates, they’ve always said stay ready and be the best teammate that you can be. That’s what I’ve tried to [do] since fall camp.”

If Ehlinger can’t go on Saturday, expect Buechele to deliver against the Cowboys.

[/s2If] [s2If !current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] [article-offer] [/s2If]