Thompson Takes Edge in Longhorns' Battle for QB1
A quarterback's best friend is not the weapons on the outside, but rather the ones upfront. Not only will they help the offense find success, but they also hold the secret in creating a top-notch gunslinger.
Protection.
Texas enters the final week of practices before the Orange-White game on April 24. As Steve Sarkisian prepares for his first season as the Longhorns head coach, he also must decide which quarterback will be taking first-team reps in September.
Texas senior offensive guard Denzel Okafor might have given fans a hint entering the weekend.
"As of now, Casey is getting most of the reps with the ones," Okafor said Thursday. "But we see Hudson coming in, too, rotating every now and then. Whoever is ready to ball, I can't really tell you who, but they've adjusted to the offensive line, the running backs, and the receivers, and it's going to look good this upcoming fall camp."
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Okafor will be the leader of the offensive line as he enters his sixth season with the team, second as a full-time starter. Electing to add another year of film for hopes of entering the NFL draft, he elected to stay thanks to the eligibility waiver the NCAA granted all seniors due to COVID-19.
As the veteran, he's seen it all. That includes a new coaching staff. Despite being in a new system, Okafor has caught on quickly to Sarkisian's cadence and the staff's quips.
"I was just ready to work," Okafor said. "Knowing that they came from Alabama, a strong team, I mean, everyone knows about Alabama. The transition was hard was Coach [Charlie], so we knew when Coach Sark came in, we knew how it was going to be, knew how to get to work and bring the young guys with us.
"We just adjusted and we can see that it's working. We just got to bring the young guys with us."
Adjusting is one thing an offensive lineman must always do. Working with multiple quarterbacks is another. The Alabama offensive lines went through a pair of different gunslingers in two seasons under Sarkisian.
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One was considered the "can't-miss" prospect. The other was a "game-manager" of a team. Both won national titles and both were Heisman finalists.
A big reason? The offensive line.
Sarkisian told reporters Tuesday that the battle still is heated. After four years of Sam Ehlinger slinging it left and right, the new head coach has little to see on tape.
Thompson saw more time after going 8-of-10 passing with four touchdowns in the Alamo Bowl last December. Card, an All-American thrower from Lake Travis, only finished 1-of-3 for five yards on the season.
"They're both very athletic, throw the ball well and have a good grasp of what we're trying to do," Sarkisian said. "Now, we just need them to be less robotic. But that comes with reps. Overall, I'm pleased with where we are at that position."
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Okafor can see the same in just 10 practices from the former QB2 and QB3.
"He [Thompson] has been putting in the work just as much as Hudson," Okafor said. "They're both great guys, know how to throw the ball, have a good vision."
Whether Thompson or Card, protection is key. The Longhorns will need to replace their left side of the offensive line now that Sam Cosmi is headed to the NFL.
Perhaps the most important position though for a quarterback's cadence is the center. Okafor praised redshirt freshman Jake Majors for taking on a leadership role following the season-ending injury to Derek Kerstetter.
"The center has to be the strongest guy on the offensive line, so he knows all the combinations that we need to go to and how we need to fit it," Okafor said. "As a young guy going on his redshirt freshman year, he's really stepped up and he's going to be good for us in years to come."
Majors started the final two games last season for Texas, helping Thompson finish the season on the right note and opening running lanes for Bjian Robinson to tally a season-high 183 rushing yards against Colorado.
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