Just a few weeks ago it seemed like Charlie Strong was on the verge of declaring junior Tyrone Swoopes as the early winner of Texas' offseason quarterback battle.

After practice Wednesday, Strong indicated the battle is still very much ongoing. The Longhorns' head coach announced Swoopes and redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard will take snaps with the first offense in Saturday's Orange-White Scrimmage due in large part to the growth Heard has experienced of late on the practice field.

“Jerrod has taken tremendous strides here in the last week or so,” Strong said. “He's really closed the gap, so it's going to be interesting to get through Saturday and get to fall camp.”

When talking Wednesday about the Longhorns shifting to a more wide-open offense, Strong referenced Heard having won two state championships at Denton Guyer using that style of football. Heard is bringing part of what Strong is wanting to find with the offensive shift, which is the ability to create explosive plays on the edge.

“He's so athletic, and I always say he's one of those guys who's so light on his feet,” Strong said. “When the pressure is coming to him he can get himself away from the rush and create plays on the perimeter with his feet.”

But the reason why Heard has inched closer to the seat, currently occupied by a 12-game starter in Swoopes, is the strides he's made throwing the football.

“He's hitting the open receivers, he's finding open receivers and making the correct checks,” Strong said. “He's throwing the deep ball when we open it up and throw it deep some.”

Combine the improved grasp of the passing game with his growing comfort level operating the offense, and it's becoming clear that the quarterback battle won't be decided anytime soon.

In fact, the duel might just now be truly getting underway.

“It's just that he's so much more comfortable and that's why I said he's closing the gap,” Strong said of Heard. “He's so comfortable back there now and everyone is seeing it. Even his teammates are seeing it.”