Quarterback
Cami Griffin: Hudson Card
I’ll be the odd one out and choose Hudson Card. I do believe that Casey Thompson already has one foot in the door to secure the starting job, but don’t discount Card’s ability to ‘wow’ the new coaching staff with his arm.
Card is one of the most prolific passers to come through Austin since Colt McCoy and is one of the highest rated quarterback prospects that Texas has landed since 2000. Sarkisian is big on leadership, therefore Card must be able to speak up and command control of this team. If he’s able to, I think it will come down to who is more accurate in the air — which I’d give the edge to Card.
Griffin McVeigh: Casey Thompson
After the performance he put on in the Alamo Bowl, it’s hard to believe that Thompson doesn’t have the upper hand in the competition at the moment. The redshirt junior has been the backup to Sam Ehlinger over the past two seasons and when called upon has played well. I think Card will have the ability to chip away at Thompson’s lead during spring and fall camp but will ultimately fall short.
Shane Carter: Casey Thompson
Casey Thompson already made a nice impression in the Alamo Bowl vs. Colorado. He only threw 10 passes, but completed eight of them and half of those were for touchdowns. Despite his limited playing time, he has a smaller mountain to climb than Hudson Card does.
In terms of talent, they’re both very close to one another coming out of high school, but Thompson has the locker room on his side, and if Sarkisian wants to make a good impression in his first year, it will likely mean gaining their favor as well. The spring game will give us more of a look at how well these quarterbacks play in the new system.