It is growing more and more clear that the best quarterback to run Steve Sarkisian’s offense may not be on the roster right now.
In an era where player movement is as fluid as ever, the Longhorns will likely look to the transfer portal to fill some of the biggest holes on this team. Programs like Oklahoma, Ohio State, and even this season’s Michigan State team have all greatly benefited from dipping into the transfer portal and landing some program-changing players.
One of the most glaring areas of concern for Texas this season, outside of the abysmal offensive line and lack of pass rush, is the inconsistency at the quarterback position.
Redshirt freshman Hudson Card got the nod for the first two games, but after a horrendous performance against Arkansas in Week 2, he was benched in favor of Casey Thompson. At the time, it seemed like the right move as Thompson would lead the team to three consecutive wins while also being atop the nation in quarterback rating and completion percentage.
Sarkisian and the Longhorns had seemingly found their guy for this season, but after a loss to Oklahoma in which they blew a 21-point lead, it was all downhill from there. Thompson posted impressive stats in that particular game, but that was where the second half woes developed.
He appeared to injure his hand against Oklahoma, and whether that has affected his play or not, he has not been the same player and has struggled in every game since. Thompson has made costly bad reads, like his two interceptions against Oklahoma State, with the first being a pick-six that changed the game. On numerous occasions, he has missed wide open receivers downfield because of poor footwork.
Even after giving Card another shot against Iowa State due to Thompson’s recent struggles, he looked very shaky in the pocket and still isn’t connecting on passes 20-yards or beyond.
Sarkisian and the team have a ton of personnel issues to address, and while some people are ready to move on from the new head coach, they need to relax. He has yet to get his players that he believes best fit his scheme, and there very well could be players that fit that mold in the transfer portal this offseason.
Here are five quarterbacks that Texas could potentially target for next season through the transfer portal. This also includes a couple of players who are rumored or expected to enter the transfer portal at some point.