AUSTIN, Texas — All indications Thursday are that sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger is good-to-go and will start Saturday night against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla.
After practice Thursday, Texas Football head coach Tom Herman said “if we had to play today, (Ehlinger) would start.”
Ehlinger took part in practice the past three days, and other than some soreness from not having thrown in a week, “as of now (he) looks no worse for the wear,” according to Herman.
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“I’ve gotta see how he feels tonight and tomorrow morning and Saturday morning, but yes, he would start,” Herman said Thursday.
Junior quarterback Shane Buechele took snaps with the first team as well this week in preparation, but even that was because Ehlinger was on a bit of a “pitch count” this week as he recovered. The Westlake High graduate suffered a similar injury in high school, so Herman has put faith in his quarterback to be honest about everything.
“I told him early in the week, I said, ‘You’re gonna have to be very honest with me, and with coach (Tim) Beck and everybody, because if this thing is inhibiting you from playing at your best, then being a tough guy and going out there and taking one for the team is actually more detrimental to the team than not going out there.’”
Should the plan keep forward and Ehlinger starts Saturday, there won’t be any holding him back or trying to avert him from running if — and ultimately when — necessary. Meaning the pitch count won’t carry into Saturday either.
“If you have to win the game we’re gonna do what we do, and he’s pretty good at it,” Herman said. “He’s gonna scramble, I’m sure. If they cover all our guys he’s not gonna just sit down on the field, he’s gonna run around a little bit.”
Though he hasn’t taken a hit at practice, the first lick that comes against the Cowboys may actually be the thing that gets Ehlinger back pacing this explosive Texas offense.
“That’ll be the true test,” Herman said. “My assumption is he’s not gonna go an entire game without being hit.”
Though he wouldn’t say so before today, it appears that the bye week was enough cushion for the first-degree AC joint sprain, as Ehlinger suffered in his right shoulder Oct. 13 during the first drive in Texas’ win over Baylor, to heal up. Gauging how sure he was Ehlinger was really recovering quickly, Herman added, “we’re very confident” about the Austinite’s return to the lineup Saturday.
“I know he got a little sore (Wednesday), which can tend to happen when you go an entire week without throwing a football then pick it up and throw it (a lot),” Herman said. “It was more soreness in the throwing part of the shoulder … the injury itself it’s a little painful he said, but it’s not inhibiting. The soreness he felt yesterday after practice was tired arm. He felt pretty good after treatment and getting that thing juiced back up today.”
The No. 6 Longhorns (6-1, 4-0 in the Big 12) travel to play the Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-3, 1-3) at 7 p.m. Saturday on ABC.
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