Texas Longhorns Spring Depth Chart Preview: A Fresh Start At QB?

The Texas Longhorns will once again have an open competition for the most important position on the field

The Texas Longhorns will have a much different outlook in the 2022 season, thanks to a significant amount of turnover on both sides of the ball, and some new faces on the coaching staff. 

One of the biggest changes will come at the quarterback position, where former starter Casey Thompson is out, and new faces Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy are in. 

Thompson, who is on his way to Nebraska via the transfer portal, got off to a hot start in 2021, replacing season-opening starter Hudson Card in the second half of the team's loss to Arkansas, and leading the team on a three-game win streak over Rice, Texas Tech, and TCU. 

However, from there the wheels fell off for the Horns, with the team losing six of their next seven games with Thompson at the helm, including a 28-7 blowing first quarter lead over Oklahoma. 

And while Thompson was far from the main issue with the Longhorns' struggles in 2021, an influx of talent at the position should lead to better results on the field in 2022.

So who will start under center for the Longhorns next season? Stick with  LonghornsCountry.com as we break down the Longhorns spring football depth chart outlook, beginning with the quarterback position: 

QB1: Quinn Ewers - Freshman

Arguably the crowned jewel of the Longhorns 2022 signing class, Quinn Ewers comes to Austin by way of the transfer portal from Ohio State. Ewers was originally committed to the Longhorns last year under Tom Herman, but eventually switched gears and went to Ohio State, reclassifying to the 2021 class, and enrolling early.

After losing out on the job to an eventually Heisman Trophy finalist, however, Ewers makes his way back to Texas, where he becomes the instant favorite to take over the starting quarterback job from the recently departed Casey Thompson. 

Ewers also immediately becomes the most decorated incoming quarterback talent since Vince Young in 2002, finishing his high school career as the unanimous No. ranked quarterback in both the 2022 class and the 2021 class after his reclassification. 

In his career at Southlake Carroll, Ewers completed 450 of 643 passes for 6,445 yards and 73 touchdowns, with just eight interceptions. He also ran 116 times for 701 yards and 12 scores. 

At Ohio State, Ewers did not attempt a pass.

QB2: Hudson Card - Sophomore

Quinn Ewers will have the edge in the talent department over the rest of the field in the quarterback competition. However, Hudson Card will have the edge in the experience department, having both a full year in Steve Sarkisian's offensive system, as well as experience on the field against the likes of real college competition. 

While Card did lose his job to Casey Thompson, it was not for a lack of talent or production. Card has elite arm talent, and completed 51 of 83 passes (61.4 percent) for 590 yards and five touchdowns, with just one interception. That one interception came in a critical moment against Kansas and was taken back for a touchdown in their 57-56 loss. 

Where Card did struggle was in the spotlight, where his inexperience got the better of him on the big stage, and with the offensive line in front of him, that had him constantly under fire in the pocket. Those issues should improve in 2022, but Card could be relegated to a backup roll behind the ultra-talent Ewers, and may even take a look at the transfer portal before it's all said and done. 

QB3: Maalik Murphy - Freshman

The second quarterback of the Longhorns 2022 class, Maalik Murphy is a super-talented prospect at the position in his own right, coming in second place at this past summer's Elite 11 competition (ahead of Ewers), and leading his underdog Junipero Serra Cavaliers to a State Championship. 

Murphy is not afraid of the competition and has arguably the best arm talent in the 2022 recruiting class. However, he is also a raw prospect and will need time in the system to fully develop and come into his talent. 

In that sense, the Longhorns bring the perfect scenario for Murphy to be in, he can sit behind Ewers for the next two seasons, and potentially be ready to take over the reins in the 2024 season as a redshirt sophomore with potentially two to three seasons remaining in his eligibility. 

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Longhorns? Click Here

Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Longhorns Country message board community today!

Follow Longhorns Country on Twitter and Facebook.