Shane Buechele, quarterback, Texas
Last year as a true freshman for the Longhorns, Buechele showed he’s a superstar in the making. Always up for the challenge of playing tough opponents, he gave fans of the program a lot of hope for a better future in what was ultimately another failed season under Charlie Strong.
Starting all 12 games, Buechele completed 60.4 percent of his passes, threw for 2,958 yards (7.6 yards per attempt) with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
We can’t wait to see how the influence of Tom Herman affects Buechele’s play. A former wide receiver, Herman is an offensive-minded coach who should help the Longhorns become much more of a threat on this side of the ball in the coming years.
Texas QB Shane Buechele, Oregon RB Royce Freeman among the players who will benefit the most from a new coach https://t.co/QwsCZQ5E60 pic.twitter.com/LeKpaMiYQ5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 5, 2017
Of course, it will also help if Buechele can start to generate more of a reliable connection with his receivers. The Longhorns’ top receiver last year, Armanti Foreman, only caught 34 passes for 420 yards and three scores. Look for Devin Duvernay to become more of a factor as both he and Buechele grow together in their sophomore campaigns.
We’ll be a bit shocked if Buechele does end up representing the Longhorns in New York this December. There are so many other talented quarterbacks in better situations. That said, this young man clearly has the talent to put together a magnificent season as a sophomore.